Don't Mind Me
by Hassawassa
Summary: It’s hard being a hero. It’s even harder trying to do it in another person’s body. After a bizarre accident, Sheppard is comatose and McKay has more problems then he bargained for. And that’s just the beginning…Team fic!
1. Tempers Flare in the Temple ’o’ Doom

**Title:** Don't Mind Me

**Summary:** It's hard being a hero. It's even harder trying to do it in another person's body. After a bizarre accident, Sheppard is comatose and McKay has more problems then he bargained for. And that's just the beginning…(Team fic!)

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I own nothing of the wonderful thing that is Stargate Atlantis, its characters, places or ideas. But, I do own the few races and planets created for this fic in general, but, that's about it.

**A/N:** Woohoo! My second large-scale fic. Just something I was cooking up for a bit now, came to me whilst I was in the shower oddly enough, for some reason I have more productive brainstorming there. Go fig. Anyway, hope you guys like this one, I'm pretty excited about it, but, as always, it's all for you guys. Twists a'plenty, enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter One:** _Tempers Flare in the __Temple__ 'o' Doom_

* * *

"It's going to take me, at utmost an hour, if that." Dr. Rodney McKay's tone grew harsher, his voice echoing throughout the vastness that was the temple. At any other time, he would have felt a bit embarrassed, even silly, to cause a scene fearing to disturbed the strange almost, sanctity of the ancient ruin. Now, in his current state of mind he was two seconds away from introducing Major John Sheppard's face to his fist, then running away for his life before the Major regained his senses. 

Sheppard, his brows drawn downward, taking on a most annoyed scowl was in just about the same frame of mind at the moment, bickering between himself and the physicist was one thing, amusing even, but when it came down to how a mission was run, those friendly, cutesy, tiffs turned into all out feuds. "Which you've said consecutively, for _three_ hours now!" He snarled, holding up one hand with three fingers raised as if Rodney didn't know just how many that really was.

Inhaling deeply, his own frown increasing before speaking both sarcastically and informingly, McKay took a step forward, bridging the small gap between the two men, trying to drive his point home. "Uh, might I remind you, that----"He pointed behind him to the object in question. "-----is a highly delicate piece of alien technology. It's not just going to examine itself! Proper analysis takes time Major." This statement didn't seem to work as well as the physicist planned for as John stepped forward himself, practically getting into Rodney's face.

"Which I've given you, _Doctor_." Sheppard calmed himself. He hated losing his cool, andon account of Rodney McKayof all people just ticked him off more. "Our mission here is to check this planet out, see if there are any nice folks to trade with, possibly find a power source to get our asses back home, and not get ourselves killed in the process. You've already negated three out of thosefour objectives, don't push it!" John jammed a finger into McKay's chest, emphasizing his last words with each jab before turning away, signaling that he was completely done with this discussion.

"I don't think your comprehension of this is all that clear Shappard." McKay began, drawing the Major right back in, this fight was far from over in his opinion. Tensions had been tight between the two it seemed all morning since they arrived on the planet and what had started out as a, routine, boring mission as McKay would consider it;had turned out to be far more fruitful then he could have imagined. And now as soon as he found something worth wild, John wanted to leave. He always wanted to leave!

Turning back, John narrowed his eyes atRodney, speaking slowly and as evenly as he could, growingmore heatedas the words spilled out. He was sick and tired of the physicist trying to run the show as soon as he felt, there was nothing more, a, as McKay would put it; 'gun-toting, no-braingrunt' like John could do after the possibilities of hostiles was gone. So, he always ended up sitting back, letting the genius do his job while he twiddled his thumbs. And, what he hated the most, was more then likely, McKay would get them into a load of trouble that Sheppard inevitably had to pull them out of. It happened every damn time they found something, when Rodney _screwed_ with something, and John had just about enough.

"Oh I do understand McKay. Every time we find one of these ancient doo-hickies, you spend a million years looking and testing and end up in the same place you started, with your thumb up your ass. Now, this planet is getting real uncomfortable, and who knows what it's going to be like as soon as those suns go down, and I'm not too eager to find out. Did you even notice how quiet it is? You know what that mean's McKay? No animals, no damn birds means something's pretty wrong with this place. It doesn't take a goddamn astrophysicist to figure that out."

Rolling his eyes, McKay tried to sound reasonable without really pleading, something he would never do, especially to John. He felt the man didn't respect him in the least already, why make it worse by begging? "I'm only asking for a little more time, just a few----" But he was quickly cut off, Sheppard nearly shouting once again in his face, making Rodney wince.

"What?! Minutes? Hours? We've got a scheduled check-in soon, and you've given me no reason to stay here a _second_, longer then that. So, let's just cut our losses short and call it a day."

"What part of sophisticated technology don't you understand here? You know, maybe if you'd stop being so pigheaded for one minute, you'd see the pure significance of a find like this. Which is something I wouldn't recommend, rushing!" McKay snapped back, looking like he was about to shove John half way across the room. He'd never been this agitated before about a fight between them. Maybe, it was the heat, the sweltering heat that felt as if it was sucking the air from his lungs; perhaps it was driving them all off the deep end. "I'm telling you I'm almost on to something here if you'd just stop pestering me every five seconds, to tell me to hurry up. I might _actually_ be able to get something done for you Major!"

John let out a brisk and forced laugh, rolling his eyes with a disagreeing head shake before he drew in close, pointing at McKay, speaking so softly and lightly venomous that it at first, caught the physicist off guard. "First off, I don't pester, I harass productively." To which McKay regained his composure and smiled back disdainfully before frowning again. "Secondly, who the hell do you think's in charge here McKay? I tell you when we stay and when we go, you got that? Now unless that thing magically decides to make itself useful, we're leaving as soon as it's checkout time."

Ford, who'd been standing there for the past threehours, watching the tossed jabs from each man turn into a gloves-off cat fight in about 10.4 seconds couldn't stand to see it any longer. He spoke up then, raising a waving hand in both surrender and a half hearted farewell. "I'm gonna go see what Teyla's doing, she's been gone awhile."

"Fine!" Said both men in unison, McKay shouting it at Sheppard, John turning slightly to wave Aiden off, before turning his attention back to Rodney, growling. "Now look what you've done, you made me snap at Ford." Neither noticed that the Lieutenant slipped away, heading for a large, opened arched doorway across the temple.

McKay rested his hands on his hips as Sheppard turned and walked a few paces back, trying to cool down. The physicist sighed, shaking his head as he looked towards the ground, his next words were softer, indeed more pleading then he wanted them to sound, but this was ridiculous. If they were going to act like this every single time they went on a mission, how were they supposed to get anything done! "Please, John. Just give me a little more time, run some exploratory scans and then we can go, I promise. I'm just as fond of leaving here as you are, in five words or less this place gives me the bona-fide creeps but that might be a very, might I stress, immensely important piece of technology. Something that could mean a whole lot to us in the future and it's going to take some deliberation on my part. Just, let me do what I need to do, and just, relax."

John laughed lightly, that brief one that annoyed McKay to the bone, the one that said right back at him, without saying anything 'yeah, right, who the hell are _you _to tell _me_, what to do?' What he said instead was this. "I would if you couldn't cook an egg on a rock out there, and it's not even mid afternoon yet. But I'm sure you'll figure something out in the next thirty minutes." John turned back, crossing his arms over his chest, his tone final and unyielding.

Watching him carefully, Rodney paused a moment, a touch confused at the statement. "Why, what happens in thirty minutes?"

Sheppard smiled thoughtfully, taking a seat on top of a broken pillar, fully intent on watching McKay like a hawk, spiraling over its prey. He replied then charismatically. "I pull the plug on your deliberations."

* * *

Despite the increasing temperature and humidity of the planet, Ford found the place very beautiful. Lush green jungle as far as the eye could see when they flew over it in the Jumper. The exit gate itself was built into the very side of a shear cliff, opening up over the jungle top. They had skimmed the treetops, scanning for any life signs or high energy readings and followed a trace McKay suggested might be something worth checking out. They nearly missed the abandoned stone temple because it was so overgrown with foliage from years of being unused. Aiden himself had spotted the building, noticing a break in the constant rush of green, to see a small splattering of stone deep within the jungle. 

Upon landing, they had discovered that beneath the immense canopy, laid an enormous stone structure, built in a style that reminded Ford of something he'd seen out of a Roman period movie. Large, thick stone pillars, holding up a coliseum like building, now mostly collapsed, the roof caved in at certain points and thefeeling that no one had been in the place in many, many years.

The silence of theplanet was immense, everything still save for when the hot air blew through the trees, picking up stone dust and sweeping dead leaves across the buildings decrepit steps. Upon entering, there seemed to be but one main room to the place, spanning out in a rectangle and up fifty feet or so to the gabled roof, sunlight poring through, cutting the dusty air in warm yellow beams. Ford thought it was, magnificent, Sheppard remarked that it seemed real 'cheery' and McKay mumbled something about it looking like some sort of temple. Scattered round the main room were two rows of broken statues, running along the left and right walls towards the back of the structure. Right in the very middle of the room, a large stone, crypt looking box, its heavy stone slab top must have been destroyed years ago for it lay opened.

That's was when all the trouble began. Inside that box was some sort of rusted old machine, made out of materials Ford himself had never seen before. He could just see the spark of intrigue ignite in McKay's eyes, and he knew then, they'd be staying there awhile. Sheppard knew it too, and as the day wore on, as the air grew hotter, heavier, the mission had gone to hell. Teyla left after an hour of waiting as Rodney did his first wave of scanning and studying. She slipped out a side door that lead to what looked like a long open walkway, overgrown with vines and shattered in some places by large fallen trees.

Ford found himself walking down that walkway himself now. Climbing over a cracked trunk of a tree that had died and collapsed sometime ago. Stepping through the snaking vines on the ground, pushing them and bushy, leaf cluttered branches out of his way as he saw the corridor lead on, growing dark before there was a small light at the end of it, leading out.

Finding himself now at the end of the walkway, Aiden slipped under an almost curtain of a massed ive-like plants, though the leaves were much bigger. He found Teyla there, coming up behind her.

She turned suddenly as his foot snapped a branch below, she seemed for a moment startled before her features relaxed and the Athosian gave him a warm smile, nodding to him in silent greeting.

"Sorry, didn't mean to spook ya." Ford smiled back, pulling his cap off as he whipped his brown on his forearm, feeling as if just being in a t-shirt, his jacket left in the main part of the temple, just wasn't enough to keep cool around here.

Teyla's smile widened as she turned towards the open area she had discovered. "You did not frighten me Lieutenant, I was simply reflecting." She herself was adorned in a light blue tank-top and darker grey fatigues, her things resting on a nearby fallen hunk of stone.

Ford looked around, finding that the temple must have been much larger then it had seemed from the front of it, though this particular area,buried within thejunglehad been damaged beyond noticeable recognition who knew how long ago. For the roof of the room was gone, all that was left to even suggest that it had been a room once were the scattered remains of walls, broken like jagged waves here and there. Leaving behind what reminded Aiden now, of an atrium.

They stood upon a landing that lead downwards, long thin stone steps towards a vast stretch of area, where the marbled floor was covered in dirt and vines, snaking towards an enormous tree that had decided to root itself in the center of the place. Though most strikingly, in rows and rows across the ground, where what looked to Aiden like, headstones. "Nice place to reflect." He said softly, not wanting to offend her, but still a bit disturbed by what he was seeing.

"Are, are those graves?" Ford asked finally, walking down a few steps, Teyla still behind him up on the landing.

She nodded to herself. "For what I have seen, yes, they are. Many in fact here and even more scattered behind that tree." Teyla pointed passed the large tree of an indescribable species, must have been something alien because Ford couldn't place it with anything he'd seen on Earth. He let his eyes skip from one thin stone slab to another; some standing up right, though many had been toppled and shattered from the massive tree's roots breaking through the ground.

"Looks like enough to populate a small city." He said quietly to himself, beginning to feel most uneasy now about the place then he had before. Maybe this once serene temple wasn't so tranquil after all. The wind picked up, swaying the branches of the tree, the sky above shined bright and blue beyond the scattered clouds. Ford found it too quiet now, too peaceful. Something; something was wrong.

* * *

Sitting quietly was usually his forte. He'd sit, watch, take in all there was to be taken in. He was a natural born listener, unless there was something he felt, needed to be said. He didn't make a habit to comment on everything, it was again, natural. He couldn't help it and even now, and John was in the mood to complain. It was hot, he was tired, a bit hungry and if Rodney could do it all the damn time, so could he. 

And after a long stretch of silence, Sheppard spoke up, talking to himself mostly as he picked at his fingernails.

"Why, exactly, do we always get picked to go to the planets with the crummy locals. I mean, why not a nice place covered with ice? I just got use to the cold, it be nice for a change. We could be eaten by Yetis instead of Wraiths." Slapping his hands on top of his thighs he stood, scuffing his feet on the crunchydebris laden floor as he shuffled up behind Rodney, standing a few feet from him. "Man, why is this planet so hot?" John asked softly, stretching out his back, arms raised shoulder high as he pulled them backwards, pleased with the audiblepopping soundsof his spine.

McKay, who was currently kneeling, so consumed on how much his knees were killing him, not to mention the fact that the edge of the stone box was digging into his chest, nearly missed the Major's comment. Finding the interruption a perfect opportunity to say something brainy and smug. "Well there are first three suns to contend with, which the planet is on a direct orbital path around not to mention this area appears to be on the equator of this particular plan…."

"Rhetorical McKay, Rhe—tor—ical." John frowned distastefully, interrupting the physicist before he could say another intellectual word. He didn't need the man's snarky crap at the moment. He had more important things to worry about, like; where everyone else was. He was bored, and Ford wasn't here, so John was getting desperate.

"Teyla's sure been gone for a while." He said, mirroring Ford's very wordsas McKay turned back to his examinations, a small notebook by his side, laid open with a pen sitting in its center binding. He'd jotted down a few notes here and there, mostly harsh ones considering the device itself was so impossibly hard to examine. It was far too heavy to lift from out of the stone box, and seemed to be secured down by means Rodney couldn't see, causing him to have to look the thing over half in the box with it.

"I'm sure she's fine. Besides, Ford's with her." McKay mumbled, punching a few buttons on the scanner screen, more then likely setting new calibrations as he began to scan the alien technology over again. Something wasn't right about it. He kept picking up traces of an energy signal, but it kept coming and going, almost in pulses, he couldn't seem to find any pattern to it, nor catch it just at the right moment for a proper reading. The signal had turned into this White Whale, and he was ditermined to find it.This on top of the thousands of different positions he had to take to study the stupid thing didn't help. None of them was exactly comfortable for too long, and he kept having to get up and move around, which made him hot, which made him aggravated.

"Yeah, that's what I'm worried about." Sheppard said after a moment, causing Rodney to stop mid-scan and turn around, his knees grinding the dirt into the stone below. His expression was more then puzzled.   
"You're not actually suggesting something's going on between Teyla and Ford?" This, he simply couldn't believe the Major was implying.

John swung round on the tips of his toes, enjoying the gravel sound under his boots at the moment, the only thing it seemed that was entertaining him in his time of need. He smiled at the physicist quaintly, teasing lightly. "Though the simple subtleties of flirting are a foreign tactic to you McKay, I've noticed quite a bit of goo-goo eyes going on between those two for some time now."

Rodney shook his head. He didn't see it. Well, then again he didn't really notice a lot of things that happened outside his chosen range of caring. Why worry about everyone else's business when he had too much of his own. But, he noticed then the slight hurt expression on John's face, one that Rodney thought the man might not even know he was giving. It was enough to incite a playful crack right back.   
"Jealous?"   
Sheppard jerked where he stood, narrowing his dark eyes in justification. "What? No!" He straightened himself, looking far taller then McKay had ever seen him, then again, everything looked taller from where he was kneeling. John continued quickly, defiantly calm. "Teyla's a member of my team, it's strictly business. I have to be professional." He added plainly, with a dry smirk.

"You sound disappointed." McKay couldn't help but grin coyly, enjoying the small and subtle way he could catch the man who was deemed impossible to catch off guard, actually off guard.

"I'm not a very professional person." Sheppard shrugged, frowning slightly as he looked towards the center of the room, looking through it instead of actually at something.

"I've noticed." Rodney mused sarcastically, finding this all too interesting. He and the Major had no sort of strong relationship, sadly, McKay saw it as that they weren't really even that good of friends what with them living completely different lifestyles, different hobbies and interests. He found himself becoming more and more jealous of Ford with each passing day. The two soldiers seemed to be able to talk about everything, even the stupidest of things; in Rodney's most humble opinion, could strike up an hour long conversation between the two. Why couldn't he seem to do that with John, granted, he didn't really understand why he should, but, it would have been nicer instead of fighting all the time. Wasn't he entitled to friend too? He'd hang out briefly with Beckett from time to time, but, the Doctor never came with them on these sorts of missions so, what did McKay have left but just himself. And that was only fun to a point. It just seemed he and John never got the opportunity, nor, were unstubborn enough to let it happen.

Sheppard arched a brow, questioningly, when Rodney realized he'd been staring at him all this time without a response, he snapped back to reality in that second, fumbling with the scanner and dropping it into the stone box with a loud, echoing thud. He quickly stuttered out something, inaudible, and reached into retrieve it, catching his finger on something sharp. "OW!-----damn it!" McKay yanked his hand back, shaking the sudden stinging pain out of his hand. The physicist stopped for a moment looking at his index finger as it grew red. Absentmindedly he continued with what he was, going to say in reply to Sheppard.

"Besides---" Jamming the aggravated finger into his mouth, finding the best medicine for a cut on the go was spit and mouth-heat. Rodney knew Carson would have a fit at such a notion, but, it was the cleanest place right now and the warmth was soothing the sting away as Rodney sucked on his fingertip lightly, screwing up his face in return.

"You alright? Ya stroked the machine wrong didn't you?" Sheppard ignored the conversation for a moment and couldn't help but make a joke, though he was, generally concerned, even just a little bit as he watched the physicist pull his finger out of his mouth, rub it over, wince then jam it back into his mouth before rolling off his knees onto his rear to sit.

"Mmmm---Besides." Rodney pulled his finger out again, with a small sucking sound before staring at it intently, speaking in a matter-of-fact tone, more or less to himself. "You boys wrote the rules on civilian-military relationships a long time ago, I'd think Ford would know better." A small bead of blood formed on the man's finger, growing before it became too heavy and began to trickle downwards. "Damn it." McKay hissed.

Rolling his eyes, Sheppard sighed. "Leave it to you to bust a vein." He walked over to the packs that were all piled beside each other, leaning up against the pedestal of a statute of a woman, carved from light grey stone, much like the rest of the architecture in the temple. This statue in particular had long ago lost her head, crumbled to bits on the floor, though the rest of her still remained, bent over, holding a water pitcher looking as if she was pouring it onto the ground. The pitcher itself was hollow, the inside deep and black.

Taking a small glance to the stone woman's cleavage, lightly peeking from the folds of her stony robes, John smirked, gave her a wink and squatted down in front of his pack, pinching the buckles and drawing it open. He rummaged around lightly, McKay watching him intently as he rested against the tomb. He watched as John pulled a large black carry bag, and unzippered it laying the bag, which happened to be a med-kit, openon the floor.

Rodney pushed himself on his feet with a grunt and walked over, John looked up as McKay bent over, easily spotting the bandages and snatching one up with his good hand. Making the Major think the physicist had done this once too often to find them so quickly. Rodney fumbled with the wrapper, cursing lightly as John stood up in front of him, watching the struggle with a slight amusement.

"Would you give me that!" Sheppard snapped nonchalantly, pulling the half-opened bandage out of Rodney's grasp who had, at the moment, been trying to open up with his middle finger and thumb to no avail, trying to keep his finger pointed upwards and not bleeding on anything but himself.

"You're----wait." McKay spoke up, as John went about pulling the wrapper apart, drawing the bandage out and letting the paper fall to the ground, forgotten. He then started to pull off the backing to the adhesive ends finding it difficult. "You're not suppose to touch the sterile pad." The physicist whined, ready to take over.

"I wasn't planning to!" John glanced up with a edgy glare. Turning his attention to the bandage that was thus far, defeating him. "What the hell did they seal these with, superglue?!" He snarled, batting McKay's hand away several times when he tried to take it from him.

McKay gritted his teeth and huffed a breath through his nose, "Give----wait," He shot a hand in yanking the thing away before John did anymore damage to it. "just, I'll do it!" Letting out a long sigh, Rodney got the last backing off and placed his oozing finger on the white padding.

"Fine! Don't bleed to death in the process!" Sheppard growled, throwing a hand up in surrender. He thought that perhaps if he showed the man he was willing to help, show a bit of decency, they might get out of here a bit sooner, maybe even McKay might have considered letting him on a bit of the research to quicken the pace. But no, Rodney had to do _everything._

"I'm sure you'd like that." McKay winced an arrogant smile as he wrapped the sticky ends around his finger, not finding the job he did satisfactory, he in fact thought he wrapped it too tight but, something was better then nothing. He moved away as Sheppard cleaned up the med-pack and shoved it forcefully back into his bag. Mumbling incoherently, but sounding much to Rodney like things, he probably didn't want to hear.McKay made his way back to the box and sat on its rim now, reaching carefully in for the scanner.

"No" Sheppard continued without pause, sounding down right aggravated. "Because then I'd have to drag your ass all the way back to the jumper, have Beckett yell at me for a good ten minutes about my responsibility to babysitting you and the rest of your scientific playmates."

With his face halfway into the box, his back to the Major, speaking as if he was talking to the device himself, McKay grumbled, angrily. "I hate him, you hear me? Hate in the purest sense of the word. Only perhaps modified on certain occasions to the level of loath." His fingers grazed over the scanner as he pulled it out, dusting the screen off. "The man is a thorn is my side." This said under his breath. A sudden movement caught his attention then as McKay gazed up, seeing John pass in front of him heading towards the left most row of statues across the temple.

"Wait, where are you going?" He asked, sounding a touched panicked. Afraid for a moment that perhaps John had heard what he said, finding it actually really rude come to think of it. He was about to apologize when Sheppard turned back, pointing a finger towards him.

"Just, none of your damn business, you concentrate on that thing so we can get the hell out of here sometime in the next century." The Major motioned to the device before continuing on his trek across the room.

McKay watched him, eyes slightly wide, mouth lightly agape "You're not, leaving are you?" And if Sheppard did, what did he care, right? He wasn't that afraid to be alone in this place, or was he? Or was it the fact that he thought Sheppard might have heard him, the awful thing he said. He hated guilt, it wasn't productive, and it ruined concentration. But, he wasn't a cold hearted guy either, he didn't intended to hurt anyone's feelings, especially John's.

Sheppard spun back pointing from McKay to the box. "Focus! You, thing, do!" He then raised a hand, trying to sound comforting, pausing to soften his tone. "I'm just going to be right over here." He added,nodding back towards the row of statues. "Admiring these fine stone babes."

McKay thought it over for a moment, wondering whether it was just an excuse or something else. All he could come up with was. "I've already done that." He had, in fact, taken a brief glance over the statues, finding it more the job for an archeologist. He had a good feeling if Jackson was here, he'd have a field day.

"Well hooray for you! Now get to work." John ordered briskly with a relaxed look, though inwardly he fumed; turning back as he stalked off to the statues. Rodney watched him for moment, realizing that it wasn't something deeper, it was and excuse to get away from him, to push him to get done. No more kidding around, said in the bluntest way possible. McKay's face, tightened, nodding to himself as he dug his tongue into the side of his cheek.

"Yep, attention ladies and gentlemen, we've just hit loath." He said shortly, his thoughts dark and spiteful, as he smacked the scanner which buzzed with static, punching in a few ordered combinations as he watched Sheppard's back maliciously before mumbling something mockingly to himself and set back to his examination, driving any hope of camaraderie with the Major from his mind.

* * *

Aiden had spent the last several minutes examining what he believed were tombstones more closely, finding a strange and most striking similarity to them. Glancing over the head-marker he crouched behind, he spotted Teyla now sitting upon the long stretch of steps into the cemetery, staring blankly into the atrium. "Hey, all these graves have two names on them!" 

Her eyes slipped over the rows and rows of stone-carved plaques, like bared teeth to where Ford's head sprouted. Teyla gave a short nod, furrowing her brow. "I have also noticed that. It is a strange custom to me, my people usually consecrate our dead to fire." Which was true, the Athosians believed that after the several lengthy rites of passage from this life to the next, the ashes of the ones lost would be sent to the winds, to be carried away to a higher place, allowing their loved ones to watch over them always.

Aiden stood up, brushing the dirt off his knees and pulling off his cap, wiping his forehead on his arm before stuffing the hat into his back pocket, his skin gleaming lightly in the boiling rays of the three small suns above, though the shade beneath the large tree in the center of the area, kept him a bit more cooler. "Well, back on earth, sometimes families had plots, where they could all be buried into the ground next to each other. But, all these names are strange, and the dates are even weirder."

"How so?" She asked then, getting up herself and coming down the last few steps to join him three or four rows in. There Ford pointed to the grave before them.

"This one, has two men buried together."

Teyla looked over the names, seeing that they were both in fact, male. "Perhaps a father and his son." She replied plainly, not finding the significance in it. Though, she could not ignore the troubled look on the young Lieutenant's face.

Ford shook his head, motioning to the grave once more. "No, the ah, the last names are different." He moved passed her then, walking a few graves down, Teyla followed him behind intently. Aiden squatted down in front of this one, pulling back the overgrown vines and wiping off much of the grime from the chiseled writing. "See and this one has a woman dying on the same day this second name, maybe a kid, was born. And there's no date of death for the kid either." He looked up her, finding the Athosian still staring at the grave.

"And yet their names are there?" Teyla said after a moment of reflection, still not understanding exactly what it all meant, but nonetheless, feeling and overwhelming sense of dread. As if something loomed in the air, that this place seemed, marred by great sadness. The temple itself seeming to be lost, abandoned in hastelike a child screaming by a riverbed, their mother nowhere in sight. She looked about then as the wind picked up, swaying the thick branches of the tree just behind them, though it's limbs hovered above, seeming to beclawing down at them. She felt a strong shiver slip up her spine as if someone touched her back, when suddenly Teyla realized it was Ford, but his hand though was on her arm, tapping her to check something out.

"Every single one of these gravestones has no date of death for the second name. And all of the second names dates of birth are the death dates of the person noted before them." Ford mentioned, sitting back on his haunches, and stared, concentrating on a theory. In the end it really made no sense at all.

"Is that out of the ordinary?" Teyla asked, her voice sounding a touch more weaker then she had ever heard it before. She swallowed then, trying to push back her growing unease.

Ford glanced up to her, noting the foreboding look his teammate had at the moment, feeling just about the same himself. "Ah yeah, I'd say just a bit." He stood up then, placing one hand on his rifle as if to reassure himself that it was still there. His eyes roamed the graveyard, hot winds now tore through the atrium, shifting the stuffy air to no great relief. He had the distinct urge to get back to the Major and get the hell off the planet, but he knew John would want more information then that. Perhaps he should have a more in-depth look around. And yet, Ford couldn't get his legs to move, as if they knew better. Not that he was scared or anything, just, troubled-----very, troubled. Aiden asked softly, whether it was to Teyla or to the graveyard itself, he wasn't sure.

"What the hell happened here?"


	2. Jinx

**

* * *

****Chapter Two:** _Jinx_

* * *

Sheppard had spent the better part of ten minutes going from statue to statue, looking at each with mild interest. He did enjoy a museum like anyone else, but; to be quite honest this was just plain boring. Ford had been gone for what seemed forever, John had a bad feeling about him getting caught up with Teyla, putting more then a few bad pictures in his mind. John stopped a moment raising a hand to rub his eyes. 

_Alright__ Johnny-boy, enough of that. _He scolded himself inwardly, opening his eyes to find himself standing in front of a particularly odd statue. This one depicted a man, young, clothed in long robes, his face completely stern except for the comical part where he was missing his nose.

"Bummer." Sheppard mumbled with a smirk and was about to move on when he noticed that the man was pointing across the room. Curiosity getting the better of him, John turned following the man's finger. _Might as well see what's important enough to point out I suppose. Got nothing better to do._He shrugged, walking across the temple in the direction the statue had pointed, getting a brief but strange look from McKay as he passed by, which, the Major ignored.

He found that across the room, there was a statue of a woman, a hood pulled over to shadow her face. She, stood with her arms stretched in front of her, palms to the floor. Sheppard's head shifted back in perplexity and he glanced downwards to his boots. There was something by the edge of his shoe, something unusual enough to make the Major squat down and run his hand over the stone tile, wiping the grime and small rocks off its surface.

Words. In fact, several words lay beneath the debris.

Conjoined lines creating symbols of scrolling words, three to be precise arranged one on top of the other forming three rows. He was about to mention it to McKay when he glanced to his left, noticing the very statue next to this one depicted what Sheppard could have guessed once resembled another woman. This one had been broken from her left shoulder all the way down to her waist, cleaved nearly in half down the middle. Though most prominent was the half that remained; the woman seemed to be looking down towards the floor, arm held forward pointing an accusing finger straight towards the ground.

John crept over and rubbed the dirt from the tile right in front of the statue's tall pedestal, he found no words there like the statue to the right, but what he did find was that as he pushed the debris away he felt a cold draft, a refreshing one compared to the stagnant heat of the temple. The Major narrowed his eyes, moving closer and hovering his hand slowly over the tile, determining that the draft was coming from where the statue's pedestal met the floor. He wiped at the bottom edge, smoothing his finger over the tile and saw a small seam form in his finger's wake, the dust practically blowing up from the air currents below.

"I uh, think I found something." Sheppard spoke up, causing McKay to jerk from the sudden noise. He replied with an irritated huff at being bothered, yet again; before turning his gaze in John's direction and asking unenthusiastically.

"Oh, and what might that be?"

"If I knew that----" Sheppard disregarded the obvious tone he was getting from their resident astrophysicist/bane to all humanity and slipped round to the other side of the pedestal. "----I would have told you Einstein." Running his fingers along the left and right seams of the pedestal, John felt that they were worn, very worn in fact leading him to believe that it was moved quite often, in its hay-day forward and back; not side to side.

"What are you doing?" Rodney stood up, leaving the scanner on the edge of the stone box and took a few steps towards his team leader, wondering just what the man was up to. Sheppard didn't reply at first. He instead, raised a finger to hush the physicist, which McKay took a slight defense to.

"Something, I probably shouldn't be. But that hasn't ever stopped me has it?" Smirked Sheppard.

"No, I leave the commonsense to Ford." Rodney grinned finding himself all too clever. "And myself, of course."

"Of course." John snorted a laugh and placed his hands on the edges of the pedestal and giving it an experimental shove. There was a low grinding sound from inside the stone. Pushing more, the pedestal gave way, sliding forward over the floor tile in front of it.

Before either man could comment on it, there was a sudden sound, like gears turning, stone grinding upon stone. Suddenly four statues, particularly the ones that happen to be depicting people holding pitchers slid backwards. John stood up as underneath the four statues, large perfectly cut holes were revealed in the floor tiles. A rushing sound like sand slipping through a funnel was heard, growing louder. From inside the pitchers the statues held, grey dirt and sand issued out, pouring over in dusty waterfalls into the holes below.

Rodney's eyes made a slow rotation watching the sand pour out all around, one for each corner of the room. Suddenly just behind him the tomb began to vibrate. He quickly backed away from it, nearly tripping over his feet as from within the box, the machine began to rise. It continued upwards until the base it sat upon met the rim of the tomb, knocking the scanner to the ground though its crash was smothered by the immense hum of the rising device. And there the alien thing stopped, the sand fell less and less from the statues until it ceased completely. All again was deadly silent.

Pointing a wavering finger, McKay stuttered in complete awe. "H—how----how did you do that?"

John looked round the room, dusting his hands off as he motioned to the activated statue. "I didn't; she did." He walked forward, coming along side of McKay as both stared at the newly raised alien device. "Now that, was totally worth waiting for wouldn't you say?"

Chuckling through his nose, Rodney reached down and snatched up the scanner about to plug in a few new calculations and begin his examinations all over again, this time with a fully visible machine when his eyes caught something on the scanner's screen. "Whoa." Was all he could say, walking forward up to the device and running the scanner along it.

Sheppard quirked a brow, folding his arms over his chest as he admired his handiwork, even if it was completely by accident. "Was that the whoa of, 'I know what this is now so we can go home? Or the whoa of, 'I need a few more decades with it'?"

"A little of both. More of the latter really." McKay mumbled, tapping the scanner screen a few times.

John nodded. "Yeah; that's what I thought you'd say."

Not looking back, Rodney motioned blindly behind him for the Major. "Come look at this." Sheppard moved closer to the machine, he might of just been imagining it, but he thought he heard the distant sound of low buzzing, getting louder and softer in slow pulses. McKay, seeming unaware of this, pointed to the device. "These runic symbols, I've never seen the likes them before, I mean not Ancient, not foreign, not anything.." There were several symbols upon the machine, none of them anything like the symbols of the Ancients back at the city. These were flowier, like comparing static letters to cursive. Lines of them ran along the bottom of the base the device sat on, a few more were carved directly on the machine itself. John recognized them instantly as the same type of marks on the floor tile.

"Probably says, 'Out—of—Order'." Sheppard mused, catching a less then amused glare from the physicist.

John watched the man carefully, seeing his expression unchanged. "What? Maybe, 'Back in ten minutes?' " He motioned with his hand across the machine. After a moment of silence, the glare continuing, John dropped his hand to his side, defeatedly. "Rodney if you don't learn to laugh, I'm gonna trade you in for Kavanaugh, at least he has an excuse to be a prick."

Not finding it at all humorous, Rodney agreed. "Yes, I have an excuse. You! Now let me be so I can study this device properly." He gave a dismissive shoo at John and now more then eagerly set back to work.

John smirked to his back. "Fine. Just, do it before Christmas, ok?"

* * *

Ford had counted rows, inspected ever spot in the open atrium and found the same strange date record on each and every tombstone. All the first names were born on their respective dates, and died on the same exact day the second name carved below them was born, though their dates of death were not present on what he thought were all the stones. He had though, found a few dozen with dates of death for the second name. Now he wondered why such a large population, would simply up and leave. Then again, perhaps they had simply abandoned the temple and moved to another part of the planet. It wasn't like their team had searched the entire thing over, for all he knew, the race that built this place could be right next door. But why the graves? And why the strange dates? 

"There must be at least two hundred graves here!" Aiden called out to Teyla as he came round the large tree, rooted in the center of the cemetery. Teyla had taken this time to examine the graves herself, unable to shake a dark and foreboding feeling from herself she decided that perhaps concentrating on the mission at hand could prove a strong enough distraction.

She was about to answer when a voice came into her ear, over the compact radio headset they all wore. Teyal recognized the Major's voice right away.

_"Ford, Teyla, you guys still with us?" _

"Yes sir, what's the situation." Ford received the same transmission as he joined Teyla near the stairway back into the temple. He placed a finger on the earpiece, for some reason the reception was getting a bit fuzzy, a hushed buzz of static wavered in and out in slow pulses.

John sounded noticeably more cheerful then he had when Ford had left him, thankfully. The young lieutenant wondered then if the two men had patched things up. Unless, Sheppard was simply trying to keep his act together, he did sound a touch tired, and Ford knew plenty well John's habit of letting bad things sound sweeter then they are, sugar-coating them so as to not show he was worried.

_"Well, seems McKay's little tinker-toy might be a bit more worth looking at then We'd thought before. I want you and Teyla to head back to the gate with the Jumper and contact the base. Tell Weir to give us another hour or so, tell her this might be real big.' _

Aiden nodded to himself getting an agreeing look from Teyla "You got it sir. Ford out."

"I believe we can exit through that gap in the wall there." The Athosian pointed to their left where a large section of the stone wall had collapsed, covered with vine and undergrowth. "The Jumper is in the same direction." She received a bright grin from the lieutenant and led the way across the cemetery. Ford, before climbing over the short, foot or so, rise of wall that was still left standing, took one last glance at the cemetery, noticing for a brief moment, something glimmering faintly in the twisted trunk of the tree. He watched it for a moment, having the urge to go back and check it out when Teyla called to him, she was already standing in the jungle wondering what was keeping him.

"Nothing." Aiden replied, turning his back as he caught up to Teyla, both hurrying to make it to the gate before the scheduled check-in time had passed and caused Weir unnecessary worry.

* * *

"Any time McKay. Annnny-time." Sheppard paced slowly back and forth behind Rodney's back swinging his arms from his ass to his front clapping his hands every time they met one another. This, needless to say was driving McKay up a wall. 

"Look." Rodney interjected, stopping the Major mid-clap. "Just because you rose the thing, by out-and-out luck I might include, doesn't make you an expert." To this, McKay received a raised brow, and a look as if to say: 'you really want to insult the man who could kill you with his pinky?'

To which McKay quickly added, raising a dismissive hand. "I'm not exactly saying I'm one either, but, if you possibly think you can ascertain something that I haven't, go ahead, be my guest." He watched the idea slip into John's head, watched as the gears turned behind his bright eyes and a knowing, witty, smirk crept over his lips. "Alright. How hard can it be anyway?"

McKay was about to object when Sheppard stepped up, shoving him aside gently as he looked the machine over, pointing to the first thing that caught his eye.

"What about these buttons on the sides?"

Rolling his eyes, and finding this completely ridiculous and a total waste of his time, McKay replied bitterly with a forced smile. "I've pressed those, countless times and in assorted combinations. It's just not responding and moreover, it's not _that_ easy, thank you very much."

"Looks like, finger indentations." Sheppard pierced his lips together, bending over as he pushed Rodney farther to the left.

McKay, taken back could only reply with a puzzled. "What?"

"See, the way the buttons are spread out, index, middle, so on. Kinda like a bowling ball." Sheppard motioned to the rod-like indentations that reminded him of long fingerprints, like when you pressed your hand into wet cement, though these had deeper holes near the ends where the buttons were located. He positioned himself in front of the device, lacing his fingers together to crack his knuckles. John then put his hands on either side of the machine and found his fingers fit rather smoothly onto the groves, though his where a bit longer then those meant to be there. He moved his hands back, finding all ten fingertips had buttons under them.

Rodney had to interpose, of course. "How do you even see that? It's just randomly plac----" He was cut off though as Sheppard dug his fingers into the machine, pressing the buttons down all at the same time. There came a high-pitched ping that pulsed once from the machine, echoing out into the cavernous temple. McKay, was astounded.

"Well whatdaya know." Clearing his throat McKay quelled his astonishment to a faked indifference, muttering. "It was a lucky guess."

John laughed softly nodding to the physicist as he remarked dryly. "Not that easy huh? Yeah, _ascertain _that McKay." There was another shrill ping and the machine began to light up. Seams between smoothed slices of metal shined with a warm orange light, growing brighter as the moments passed.

Both men watched the device, unsure of what to do now. Rodney licked his lips, gulping as he tried gently pushing John aside. "Ah congratulations, but maybe I should take over."

Sheppard, wouldn't have it and weighted himself on his feet so the physicist's effort was in vain. John shrugged, looking down and over to his team-mate. "Why? I'm the one who made the great discovery, for once." Rodney practically expected the Major to stick his tongue out at him with the current tone the man had taken, instead he added. "Besides, what's the worst that could happen?"

"DAH! Don't say that! You don't quite grasp the concept of the jinx, do you?" Rodney scowled. He didn't pride himself on being a superstitious guy, you'd find no rabbit's foot dangling from his keychain, and the only lucky pennies he picked up were for the sake of having one cent more in his pocket. But he strongly believed that those who specifically asked for trouble, got it; in all its horrible glory. "The point is, mocking the jinx will only make it occur tenfold. Much like pulling the pin on a grenade and holding it to then ponder afterwards; _gee_, where'd my hand go?"

"Jinx? Hell no." John scoffed. "See with my luck, I address all the possibilities so I won't be surprised. Bad things only really happen out of the blue, when you're not expecting them. I expect this to go completely wrong, thus negating the jinx." He smiled, pressing the buttons in as far as they could go, instantly the machine perked up, glowing brightly and emanating the orange light now in slow continuous pulses.

"Never call me weird again." McKay shook his head at John. He couldn't believe the man's ignorance to one of the simplest rules in the book. Then again, Sheppard wasn't exactly the by the book guy the army said he should be. A buzz of beeps came from the scanner in Rodney's hand, at the moment, completely forgotten. He glanced at the screen, eyes widening as he whistled. "Wow I'm receiving energy readings off the charts."

Sheppard loosed his pressure on the buttons, finding they didn't rise to meet his fingertips anymore, seeming to be stuck pushed down. "That's good right?" He asked, sounding slightly hesitant, wondering what exactly he might have just set in motion.

"Maybe; might be about to blow, how should I know?" Rodney snapped, his attention pulled back to the machine pinged again, this time long and echoing.

John swallowed hard and pulled his hands back, taking a few steps to his left. "Ok, stepping away now." The alien device though, continued to pulsate with light, though now the pulses were getting increasingly faster, this was accompanied just then by a low hissing sound, like the gentle hum of a generator warming up on a cold day.

Rodney placed a hand on Sheppard's arm, as both men took another step backwards, staring at the machine. "It's humming." He said, voice wavering.

John nodded. "I noticed. Ok, _running_ away now." He was about to radio to Ford. In fact his hand was on his ear-piece trying to hear over the now audible hum coming from the device, the pulses of light taking on a flashing that sprayed in tiny light particles, swarming round the device like fireflies. McKay stumbled back, righting himself a few inches behind Sheppard. Suddenly the particles, millions of them by now were sucked back in to the machine. Neither man knew what hit them as a pulse of pure white-tinged light flashed from the device, spreading out in a ring and first hitting John. It pass through both him and Rodney, stopping them dead in there tracks as right after a second pulse blasted through them, the firefly like particles returning again except this time they came from Sheppard himself.

The light specks burst backwards; washing over McKay before a third pulse flung both men across the room. Hitting the ground violently and sliding them along the stone floor.

* * *

Ford and Teyla were just returning from the Jumper which they had landed in more or less the same spot that they first placed the ship upon arrival to the planet. They had flown to the gate, set within the rocky cliff and contacted Atlantis a few minutes short of the deadline, Weir was pleased to hear from them and even more pleased that they had found something of interest on the planet. She warned them though to be very careful about bringing anything back, not wanting another incident like when McKay removed the Z.P.M, the only thing keeping up a defensive shield over a planet inhabited by children. Opening them up for attack by the Wraith. 

Teyla had reassured her that they would be cautious in their actions on the plant, though so far, there were absolutely no signs of life, which was technically true. Well, true until the walk back towards the temple. Aiden was in the midst of explaining to the Athosian woman the difference between morning customs of people on Earth vs. her own people, which Teyla found to be most amusing and far too stressful to be healthy or profitable when there came a rumble above them.

Stopping halfway to the temple, at the very point where they could see the building just ahead through the jungle, Ford and Teyla turned their attentions to the sky, wondering just what could be making such a loud noise, something that sounded like the distant rumble of rocket engines. They stood beneath a large clearing in the canopy as the sound grew deafening, Aiden raising his gun in defense.

Over head, flying across the blue sky and momentarily shading them from the sun was a large air ship, much bigger and bulkier then the Puddle Jumpers but still a compactable size. It was followed by a second ship of the same design, seeming to slow down as it passed over, hovering over them for a few moments before moving along. They continued on and were lost beyond the canopy, the shattering sound echoing off into the distance once more.

"What the hell was that!" Ford exclaimed, still watching the sky.

"It was not like any technology the Wraith would use." Teyla said, her face more then worried.

Aiden cursed softly. "Yeah, that's what I thought." He walked a few steps forward, Teyla keeping close behind him as he radioed back to the Temple. "Major Sheppard?" He received only silence. Ford tried again, thinking that perhaps the interference he was getting before back at the temple had caused his transmission to fail.

"Major?" He shouted into the tiny mic near his cheek, glancing up towards the temple, crippled in the middle of the sweltering jungle. "Major we have a situation do you copy?"

* * *

"_Major?" "Major we have a situation do you copy?"_

McKay heard, what sounded like a voice, through the blackness that was his current perception. He tried to force his eyes open and felt them heavy and dry. Carefully he placed a shaky elbow to the ground and tried to brace on it enough to lift his head up. Though this only caused him to become dizzy, nauseous, his head ached.

"Uh God….can't; can't I have one day without a head injury?" He gasped, eyes opening up to the blurry temple, thankful that he was still there and in what felt like, one piece. Rodney rubbed the back of his head. Yeah, he could already feel the golf-ball shaped lump growing underneath his hair.

Looking around, the next obvious thought crossed through his groggy mind. "Major?"

McKay focused to his surroundings, feeling completely drained, like he'd just ran himself a 10k marathon. His eyes scanned the floor, spotting a dark figure sprawled out a few feet in front of him.

Like the realization of who it was suddenly slapped Rodney right up side his head, he jerked into sluggish action. "John?----John?!" He moved as quickly as his body would allow to Sheppard's side, looking the man over briefly. He seemed to be in the same shape McKay was in a moment ago. Rodney placed a hand on the man's shoulder giving him a good few shakes, to no success. Thinking quickly, without panicking, "Uhh…" McKay placed his fingers to John's throat, feeling a terrifyingly weak pulse.

He began to breath heavily, trying to keep it together, McKay pulled Sheppard across the floor, as well as he could, and propped the Major's head on one of his knees.

"Great, just, great; just had to screw with the jinx, didn't you?" Rodney found himself snarling, knowing this was all Sheppard's fault when suddenly from overhead came a harsh rumble, shaking the temple's roof and dropping small stones and dust on them. Acting without thought Rodney leaned forward catching most the stones that fell near, on his back, shielding John beneath him.

"Oh god please wake up." His tone had lost all traces of harshness, openly pleading to Sheppard's unconsciously body as if he would hear him and suddenly wake up. Which he didn't of course.

When the horrible noise was gone, McKay sat back, careful not to jostle the Major as he suddenly remembered hearing a voice before, Ford's voice. Rodney reached up and felt that his radio was gone, it must have fallen out of his ear when he was flung backwards. But John's was still intact so McKay carefully took it and placed it on the side of his head, adjusting the mic before he called out in shear alarm.

"Ford!"

* * *

"_Ford!" _Came a frantic voice in both Aiden and Teyla's ears, knowing the voice of the physicist was sounding a bit more frazzled then usually, meant either he was overreacting, or something very, very bad had happened. He continued quickly as they stopped in the middle of the jungle, a few yards from the temple's steps._ "It's McKay, tiny problem. Actually, more cataclysmic to be honest." _

"Tell me about it Doc, Teyla and I just watched two alien carriers fly right over the area, not Wraith though, and I'm pretty sure they saw us. Where's the Major?" Ford asked quickly, knowing the sure sign of something being wrong on account of McKay answering his call rather then Sheppard himself."

McKay sounded as if he paused for a moment, hesitating in his recollection as if trying to figure it out himself. _"Well, we were blasted by---- some sort of strange energy beam emitted from the device here in the temple, I'm alright, but----- Sheppard's unconscious and, I ah, I can't wake him up." _

"We will be right there McKay." Teyla replied, trying to calm the obviously unnerved physicist. Her head then shot quickly to their left, as she followed a distant sound. It moved, causing the Athosian to turn back to where they had just come from. "Voices, there within the woods." She pointed to the deep jungle. In a few moments, Ford could hear them too, that and the sound of heavy boots crunching through the underbrush, many footfalls in fact.

"Just what we need." Aiden said annoyed, taking a hold of Teyla's arm. "Come on we have to get out of here!" They both took off in a breakneck run across the last stretch of jungle that lay between them and the temple, racing up the stairs as Ford heard the voices behind them turn into shouts. He prayed whatever was in the trees back there hadn't spotted them going into the temple, maybe buying them a little more time.

They passed through the great arched doorway, Ford instantly spotting Sheppard laid out on the ground, McKay huddled near more then happy to see them it seemed. Teyla stopped, unsure what to do, emotions setting in to an already dangerous situation. Aiden glanced back at her, ordered her as lightly as he could to keep and eye at the door for anyone. She nodded hesitantly, wanting more then anything to go to John and help, but, she knew very well if the places where switched, if Ford was lying there instead of Sheppard; John would have told her to do the same thing. She knew the area had to be secured until they could retreat, all together.

Ford hurried over, pulling off his rifle and laying it nearby as he knelt down alongside John's body. "How long has he been out?"

"Took you long enough." McKay snapped lightly, his distress taking its usual venomous tone before he forced it to be softer, realizing it wasn't the young Lieutenants fault. "I don't know, maybe, five minutes by now."

Looking the Major over, Ford put a hand to his face, the man's skin felt chilled and clammy, flesh turning paler by the minute. He felt Sheppard's wrist over for a pulse, which was small but present. Ford then turned his sights to McKay. "What exactly happened here, how did he get like this, what did you do?"

Raising his hands in defense, Rodney exclaimed. "Hey, don't pin this on me, I told him not to touch the thing anymore!" He noticed then that the device in question had lowered itself back into the tomb, whether while McKay was knocked out or while his mind was on their survival he wasn't sure.

"Well you seem fine." Ford replied, sounding a bit scornful to Rodney's ears. But at that point, Rodney felt more guilty for not being more hurt then he usually ended up being, it really wasn't John who was the injured one, and when it did happen------McKay shuttered to think of it, but when it did happen, death was usually knocking at John's door.

"Lucky I guess." He managed to mutter, catching a disdainful glare from Aiden before the lad patted Sheppard on the face trying to get their CO back to the land of the living.

"Major? Major can you hear me?"

_"Calm down Ford; yeah, I can hear you." _Came a voice, low and echoing, sounding a bit garbled at first before it sounded clear and present to McKay's ears. He glanced around, spotting Teyla, eyes glued to the jungle, too far away for it to have been her.

"Did----did you hear that?" Rodney asked softly, still looking about.

"Hear what?" Ford asked, not really paying attention to the physicist as he continued to wake John. "Major?"

"_Yeah, I'm right here!" _Came the voice again, this time much stronger, sounding rather tired and annoyed to say the least, right by McKay's ear. He turned round, looking from side to side. "There, that!" He yelled, becoming more freaked out. Rodney thought that he must have hit his head harder then he thought at first, now he was hearing voices. And yet, that voice, sounded faintly familiar.

Glancing up at him briefly, Ford gave McKay a strange look. "I didn't hear anything." "We gotta get back to the Jumper." Talking back down to Sheppard, Ford spoke louder, a few levels short of a shout. "Major, if you can hear me, the planet might be compromised, we're going to get back to the base, get you to a doctor, alright?"

Again the voice came, sounding confused and unsure now. _"Wait, doctor?__ I don't need a doctor, what the hell is going on?" _

"THAT!" Cried McKay, pointing upwards to the ceiling. Ford had to have heard that, it was practically a yell. " Tell me you didn't just hear that?" What the hell was going on was right, Rodney agreed. Though to whom he agreed with he wasn't sure.

"McKay, I'm not screwing around." Aiden growled, trying to hoist Sheppard up, wishing McKay would get the clue and help him.

_"Ah, Rodney, why is Ford talking to me, but looking at you?" _McKay heard the voice again, so close to his ears, he swore it could have even been between them. And that voice, god it was familiar. Wait! Rodney's brain screamed, that----voice, he knew that voice!

McKay's face must have dropped several shades of color because it took Ford by a slight surprise, making the Lieutenant pause in his movements, halfway in getting John's arm slung round his shoulders. "Oh God." Rodney stammered, realization hitting him like an ocean wave, drowning him under its weight.

"What?" Ford asked not wanting anything added to the already screwed up situation they were in; with the Major out, ships flying overhead and now Rodney going nuts.

_"What?" _The voice, a most dry and snapping voice, echoed the same question in Rodney's mind, and not in repetition, but simply asking the same thing.

McKay's blank stare turned to Aiden's anxious look. His mouth bobbled open and shut as he tried to fathom the possibility, though the more he thought about it, the more frighteningly obvious it became.

"He's----he's, in my head." Rodney finally stammered, turning his eyes to the unconscious Major's body. "John's _inside_ my head!" He cried, feeling as though he were about to pass out.

* * *

A/N: Wooo! Problems galore! Hope you folks are liking this, hit me up with some reviews and tell me what you think. And stay tuned, it's only going to get crazier. 


	3. The A'vok

A/N: Many, many sorries for how late this chapter is. ::cowers:: Let me tell you, Finals were hell! Three final projects all due in the same week was a complete nightmare. But, I pulled through, with a third chapter to spare. Sorry again for the wait. Oh, and for an actual note, anything you see in _italics_ blocked by quotes is Sheppard talking, unless it's inside someone else's dialog, then that's just an emphasized words. You probably figured that out already, but I thought I'd mention it.

* * *

**Chapter Three:** _The A'vok_

* * *

"Wait, wait…let me get this straight----" Ford interjected in the middle of McKay's panic attack as the man sat back, shutting his eyes, and squeezing two fingers on the bridge of his nose. Considering Rodney had come out of the incident unscathed, he didn't look well at all.

"You're telling me, the reason Major Sheppard won't wake up is because, he's in your body?"

"Not my body." Rodney replied, trying to inhale slow, soothing breaths. Strangely enough, the once sweltering temple had become quite cold all of a sudden to the physicist. "My mind, he's….I can hear him literally talking to me inside my head." With that said Ford pulled Sheppard over slipping his arms under the man's armpits and pulling John up onto him.

_"You've got to be kidding me."_ Came John's voice, echoing right between McKay's ears, sounding casually annoyed. Which, was understandable. The last thing Sheppard remembered was moving back, as the machine gathered fuzzy lights around it, and he was about to turn round, grab Rodney and lunge to the ground when he was hit by something that felt like, warm water. It didn't hurt, he remembered that at least. More soothing, claming, when the first wave hit, his mind blacked out and yet he could feel himself being moved, pushed almost. Everything was black tar after that, and the next time he realized anything, was that he was staring at, well, himself.

At first John thought he might have died. He once heard this one guy stationed with him back at Antarctica talk about a strange experience he had as a kid. David Haskle was ten when he fell out of a tree house window, broke three ribs and cracked his head open. He said he felt warm right after he hit the ground, like he'd dunked himself in a hot bath. Then Dave swore he saw himself laying in the grass, bleeding.

But it was when his eyes seemed to move, without him willing to, he knew something was wrong. John felt feelings he couldn't explain. Panic, fear, confusion. Things he prided himself on not feeling, and then he noticed the only 'floating' he did wasn't all that high up; saw a hands moving right below him, his own hands yet, they weren't his.

"You're kidding me right?" Aiden replied, baffled. How in the matter of an hour maybe a bit more then that, did the entire mission go completely to hell?

"It's like an echo." McKay muttered sourly, finally opening his eyes an aiming a reply back at Aiden, his voice harsh, trying to obviously hide his fear behind it. "You really think I'd sit here and fabricate a story like that, for no good reason?"

"Well no." The young Lieutenant shrugged, arms still slung round his CO's body, wondering if in fact moving him at that moment was the greatest idea after all. With his lack of background on the situation, Sheppard out, and McKay talking crazy, it couldn't get much worse. "But that doesn't explain why Major Sheppard is out and your fine and now you're hearing voices."

Teyla had been watching from the main archway of the temple leading out into the jungle for sometime. She had also been trying to keep her mind off John's condition and concentrating on doing her job as a member of the team, pushing personal feelings aside. Now, it seemed too late to do anything. Quickly she pulled away from the door, taking a few hurried steps over to where her teammates where huddled on the floor together. "They have broken from the woods. Several men, armed. Though they did not see me by the doorway."

"Anything you've seen before?" Ford asked quickly, picking his gun back up and slinging it on his back before hoisting Sheppard higher so he could at least sit the man up, praying that perhaps it would bring him back. But John slumped over and back like a rag doll, completely motionless, his breathing was shallow, Aiden could barely feel his chest rising up and down under his arms, the Major's flesh was ghostly pale, and had started to become speckled with tiny blue veins just barely visible beneath John's skin.

The Athosian shook her head no to Ford's disappointment. Just what they needed, armed soldiers from a completely unknown race. Who knew who the hell they were, and why they were here.

"_Now would be my opinion, of a good time to leave." _Sheppard butted in, making Rodney jump, he still wasn't use to that, in fact he planed never to be use to that. This was just some strange accident, it had to be an equally easy rectifiable one. "Sheppard suggested we should leave now."

McKay got to his feet, nearly drooping backwards as Teyla took him by the arm, steadying him. "I'm ok, just, don't worry about me." He gave her a brief and halfhearted smile, before reaching forward and helping Ford lift John up. He slung one of the Major's arms around his neck and tried to pull him along when he noticed Aiden wasn't moving. The physicist stared at him intently, Ford seemed to stare right back, studying him.

"Is he really, in there?" Ford asked, trying to make sense of it all, though in truth he couldn't help but be a bit skeptical. For all he knew, he left John and Rodney intact and both conscious, he came back and McKay seemed fine while Sheppard was half dead. Not that he believed the man had anything to do with it, criminally wise, but, in all truth, the whole 'in my mind' thing just wasn't believable.

Rodney rolled his eyes, then suddenly looked away, staring at the floor as if he was listening to something. He blinked, nodded then looked back to Ford, replying awkwardly as if trying to get what he said next, to come out right. "Ford, listen to McKay-----or no more--four a.m. foosball games." McKay looked confused to say the least.

Ford on the other hand, brightened quite considerably, letting a laugh that sounded both relieved and surprised. Well if that wasn't from the Major, then Rodney was a damn good guess. The late night foosball was a secret between him and Sheppard. "Good to have you with us Sir." With that Ford was about to move on when he saw Teyla stopped in front of them, her hands raised.

The Lieutenant's smile fell instantly as he saw before them five of the armed soldiers Teyla had seen standing in their way, blocking the path to the door with guns aimed at each of them.

With the barrel of a strangely constructed gun rammed into her lower back, Teyla was pushed forward a few steps. This proved to be more of an annoyance then painful, as she clenched her jaw firmly shut, raising her arms away from her firearm. She didn't need a gun to defend herself, Teyla thought angrily, and the next man who dared lay a finger on her, would find out how.

"Alright, hold on….just everyone take it easy." Ford raised his only free hand, showing he was in no way trying to get to his rifle. Though this didn't seem to faze the soldiers one bit. They kept a dead aim at each of their heads. "Whatever we did, we didn't mean it, I'm sure this is just a big missunder---"

Just then one of the armed men shoved Teyla in the shoulder with the palm of his hand, to move her with the rest. She went with the movement spinning on her heels with such grace, Sheppard was thoroughly impressed, even though it was seen through McKay, but he knew Teyla had pride, not that it was a bad thing, but such a trait could turn a tense situation real bad, real fast.

And it did just that. Teyla latched a hand round the soldier's wrist and struck it where the elbow was, in a direction it was never meant to bend. The man growled as he was uplifted with the momentum and sent sailing to the floor as the Athosian slipped the toe of her boot in the pit of his knee, buckling it.

Before Teyla could do any further damage another soldier stepped up and cracked her along the face with the butt of his rifle, sending her backwards. This soldier moved swiftly after her, shoving Teyla up against the nearby wall, pinning her head back with the length of his rifle, digging it painfully into her throat. She reached up wrapping her hands around his arms trying to push him back, seconds away from lifting a knee in-between them and kicking her attacker across the room if she could.

"_Tell her to stop McKay, before she gets herself killed! This isn't going to solve anything." _Sheppard snapped. Rodney felt sick, not wanting to be in this temple, this planet, this situation any longer. But knowing just as well as the Major that the Athosian's natural sense of defense could get them all shot, Rodney quickly interjected. "Teyla!"

She looked at the physicist from across the room, eyeing him curiously, as the pressure increased on her throat, making her vision begin to grow fuzzy, her thoughts of self-survival washed away from the look in McKay's eyes. Teyla wasn't certain, but she swore should could see John behind them, urging her to let go, to just let it be for now.

Teyla loosened her grip, letting her arms fall limply to her sides. The soldier inches from her smiled coyly, pressing just a bit more into her, causing the Athosian to let out a choking cough.

"HEY!" Ford shouted, about ready to set John's body down and lay into them. "We've surrendered! Now back the hell off of her!"

The soldier that had been floored by Teyla picked himself up, bending his arm in and out testing it with a displeasured look before he shouted some low and foreign word, with that the man released Teyla and stepped back into the neat ranks with his colleagues.

The Athosian fell a step forward, clasping a hand to her throat and rubbing the pain away, it felt to her as if his rifle was still there, oxygen and pressure rushed back to her, making her head pound.

After giving, what Ford guess was some sort of order, the lead soldier jerked his head towards Ford and McKay with a glare, when Teyla finally looked up. She wearily made her way to stand next to them. Ford wished he was standing opposite with Rodney so he could ask Teyla if she was alright, but, that would have to wait.

"Now if you're done trying to be heroic." The leader grumbled, his voice sounding to Sheppard, even though from Rodney's ears, like something of the British nature. Like some of the guys back at the city. He looked them over now, as McKay looked them over; taking note of anything worth remembering.

The young leader straighten himself out, tugged his peculiar uniform of a closely tailored jacket, made of a thick, stiff dark grey material. A high, starched collar sat inches under the man's chiseled chin. The pants were of the same color, though made from a looser material, and still straight cut, no embellishes, nor means of camouflage. In fact, in John's most honest opinion, the suits were really boring. And lacked any sort of shielding or defense from projectiles.

This bothered John greatly. He had one theory, that any person who didn't wear protection was either very stupid, or was so good, they didn't need it. And these guys weren't playing dumb.

"_Tell them you want to talk to their CO." _

McKay, one hand raised in surrender, the opposite holding Sheppard's arm on his shoulder as his disembodied voice spoke to him, and only him; cleared his throat. Here was his chance to be diplomatic, boy was that a bad idea. "If we've broken some law of yours by coming to this temple, we didn't intend to. And if you actually asked us about it rather then kicking the crap out of us, you might have found that out." This got a reaction, Rodney didn't entirely predict. The leader looked crossly at him, a few of his men looked away from their targets to send glances to one another, seeming puzzled.

"Look, we don't know who you are, or what we've done wrong. Now I'd like to speak to your superior immediately."

The lead soldier, his injured arm forgotten, step up in to McKay's face, barely inches away, seeming to try and dwarf the physicist, though in truth both men where the same height. "The prisoners of the A'vok have no right to make requests; you should know better then that." Perhaps ten or so years younger, McKay resented the fact he was being talked down to by some boy trying to play war, thinking far better of Ford's maturity then he ever had before. But further more, the race; A'vok….didn't ring any bells for Rodney, not even from a species of alien back on Earth. Seeing the lad's poor excuse for intimidation, Rodney squared himself, getting up into the soldier's face as well. From inside Sheppard felt a distinct case of deja-vu, from earlier this morning between him and McKay. Which happened, he thought sadly, when he was still in his own body.

"A'vok? Let me think…..no first time I've heard that one, my apologies. But from the looks of it, you fellows run a really _appalling_ operation. And it wasn't a request, it was a demand, unless your leader decided to let you kids out to play alone today." Rodney snarled, staring right into the soldier's bright and unblinking eyes, the heat of hatred and insult staring right back at him.

_"Eh, a bit overkill there Skippy."_

"You think so?" McKay glanced sideways, mumbling on the side of his mouth. He didn't really think too much about the statement before he made it. It was a first thing that popped in, kind of reaction. Though he did mean every word of it. This whole capture, interrogation, was completely ridiculous and getting far too dodgy for all of them.

_"Yeah, just a feeling I have." _

"Take them!" The soldier growled over his shoulder, taking hold of McKay by the shirt and yanking him forward, pushing him in front of him. Rodney turned in time to see the same happen to Ford, as the men encircled them, taking hold of Sheppard's body violently, practically dragging him.

"Watch it, take it easy damn it, he's hurt!" Snapped McKay as he was reared forward, his complaint ignored, the soldier behind him jammed the butt of his rifle into the physicist's back. "Come on, move it!" Was the last words spoke within the temple's cavernous room, echoing as they left.

Ford found himself being towed away, pushed out of the temple and nearly shoved down the stairs. He and the rest of the team we're lead haphazardly towards an awaiting group of what he know guessed were A'vok soldiers waiting for them in the clearing before the temple's steps.

There standing out from the rest only because his uniform was of a rusty burgundy color rather then the endless wash of grey that his soldiers wore, was what McKay thought must have been the CO he was looking for. The man turned to them, holding a sort of unspoken authority and abstinence that would put the Genii to shame.

McKay was shoved forward, his feet tripping on the cluttered jungle floor as he nearly bumped into the man before him. This fellow in the burgundy suit seemed to look Rodney over, a glare catching every so often off his wire-framed glasses, that it marred cold, calculating, dark eyes. The man looked down his long and defined nose, furrowing his fair brows.

And Rodney? Stared right back at him, a scowl that could melt the paint off a car was all he could do now, trying to push his uneasiness off as annoyance. Trying to play the part he had unwillingly brought upon himself as leader of their team. Though technically, with Sheppard inside his head, didn't that make him automatic leader?

"I'm presuming you're in charge here?" Rodney said then, surprised to find a brief smile cross over the A'vok's face. The man straighten himself up, standing at a height that could only be matched by John, though that wasn't so apparent since Sheppard's body was lowered roughly to the ground, catching the leader's attention. "There you are correct, I am Commander Dran….and who may I inquire are you?" His voice was about as careful and controlled as his eyes, speaking softly and unthreateningly charismatic. It made Sheppard a bit edgy to say the least.

John knew that the guy was playing suave, it was all an act. Hell, he did it himself sometimes, finding that kindness worked better then a threat sometimes. John considered himself the smooth-talking king of the world, and this Commander guy, was cramping his style. And that, was so not cool. Not to mention that from McKay's point-of-view, the man looked taller to John then he should have. Sheppard realized then that this was how he must have looked to Rodney normally, and a feeling came with that, something he was picking up off the physicist that very moment. It was intimidation, he could hear it in the quickening of McKay's pulse, the pounding of blood in his, being now _their_ ears. Panic, stress, all things John usually tired to ignore, he had to with what he did. Now being in Rodney's body meant unabashed and uncontrolled feelings, things he wasn't exactly use to feeling.

"_Come on Rodney, keep it together. You're doing fine, whatever you do; don't let him see you sweat." _

"Too late." McKay muttered to himself, well, to Sheppard actually. He realized then that talking to John actually looked bad, in fact it looked really bad. Moreover, if he was sweating, he couldn't help it. The smothering heat had returned to his body, he could feel it all around him. He let out a slow and steadying breath through his nose before replying, trying to sound as snotty as possible. Something that, came rather easily to him.

"McKay, Dr. Rodney McKay. I'm the commanding officer of this team, and frankly I'd like to know just what the hell you think you're doing with us?"

_"Good, let him think you're in control, no crap from anyone. And whatever you do, don't, and I MEAN IT, don't let them know about the city. At least not yet. Not until I've come up with something." _

The Commander lifted a brow, quirking an supercilious smile, something he choose to use freely and without hesitation. "Forceful." He nodded, sliding his hands behind his back where he laced them together, seeming to heighten himself. "That is a quality, I hold high, Doctor McKay. But that doesn't excuse the fact you've been caught trespassing on a planet under A'vokien territory."

"Trespassing? In there?" Ford spoke up, referring to the temple. "We didn't know you owned it, in fact we didn't know anybody owned it. We didn't take anything, if that's what you're thinking." He received a disapproving glance from the Commander before the man turned himself back to Rodney.

"Do you always let your subordinates speak so freely?"

McKay let out an awkward laugh, catching the threatening gaze from the young Lieutenant, he didn't expect that one. "We're we come from, everyone has equal say, people are entitled to their own opinions." He should know, he gave his easily enough. "It's a well _exercised_ rule."

Dran looked to him thoughtfully, replying despondently. "How, unorganized that must be for you. Don't you find it difficult to make affective decisions if everyone is bound to disagree?"

Glancing round, Rodney scratched the back of his head, which made a few of the armed men jerk with their rifles, thinking he was trying something. McKay opened his hand out wide, showing he was just going in for a scratch. Which he did before replying; finding these people more uptight then Kavanaugh and Bates fused together. "Actually, we agree more often then not. Then again intelligent, right-minded people tend to do that." McKay smirked malevolently.

Dran, to the team's surprise, agreed. "You're right, I must apologize for your treatment by my men, you simply caught them off guard, they're not use to such, opposition. I assure you, their indiscretions will be dealt with." This caused a stir in the ranks of soldiers.

_"Opposition?__ What are they, Communists?" _McKay had to agree with John on that. Something about these A'vok, even the Commander himself made Rodney more uncomfortable then just being at gunpoint. It was something about the man's personality, his style-----all their styles to be honest. Each was clean cut, young and organized. Every male soldier's hair was cut short and slicked back, and even though there were female units, they too had a controlled nature about them, their hair pulled back into tight short cut ponytails.

A movement to McKay's left made him look away from Dran. One of the A'vokien soldiers was near John's body, prodding it once or twice with the tip of his gun. "_Ah, what the hell is that guy doing by my body?!" _

"I would suggest to you, to leave him alone." Teyla growled angrily, finding such behavior towards a person in need very disrespectful, especially towards John. The soldier took the tone of her voice, the warning as little more then an annoyance when suddenly Dran grumbled the same word his toady underdog had said in the temple to make the soldier pinning the Athosian, back off. The soldier looked to his leader, cast his eyes down in shame and backed away.

It seemed to McKay that perhaps these men weren't under Dran's command all the time, perhaps rookies being taken out into the field. Whatever it was though, didn't seem to please the A'vok leader one bit. Rodney took this moment to try and begin their long awaited retreat. "Listen, Commander; I'd love to stay and chat with you, but if you haven't noticed, one of my team members is injured and right now my priorities are a touch one-sided, no offence."

"As I well enough see, Dr. McKay. But I simply can't let you wander off after what you've done, especially on a _restricted_ planet. I have to keep an authority here under my lord and leader, if I let you go…" Commander Dran went on, speaking with a polite matter-of-factness that seemed to rub both John and Rodney wrong, the Major could feel the physicist's jaw clench as if it were his own. "What sort of example will that set for the rest of the neighboring realms? It's a law for a reason, you understand. No, offence." Dran added, with his own type of sarcasm. But two could play at that game.

"Yes well, I'm sure you're keeping a _real_ tight lid on all that, opposition. But if you don't let me get him some medical attention, we're going to have a problem. And I don't mean anything that could be, even remotely, misinterpreted." McKay swallowed hard, deeply surprised of himself. Where was all this aggression coming from? He never threatened people like that, more or less opting to thoroughly confuse them with jargon and witty remarks. Yet he could feel strength and resolve suddenly kindling from within.

"Now if we're done here." The physicist continued, walking a step forward when guns were raised higher and the hum of what now seemed like energy generating weaponry was loaded. "Or not." Rodney raised his hands and backed away slowly.

Commander Dran watched the physicist carefully, seeming to study him once more. Though to what conclusions, Rodney could only guess. Either way, Dran frowned, sounding more then displeased, and what hinted to a slight reluctance. "You leave me in a very, unpleasant position Doctor."

McKay blanked then, he hated standstills, they wore on his nerves and turned his brain to cotton, and this wasn't exactly the best time to become fuddle-headed.

_"Keep it together McKay, he's only got guns and terrorization. You've got a whole mess-load of brains up here, us them. You can do it." _John could feel the situation slipping through his fingers, well, more or less he could feel them slipping through Rodney's fingers. But the sense of complete helplessness was all the same. He was useless where he was, and the only thing he could think of to do, was to motivate his teammate.

Ford wanted more then anything to just get the hell out of there, leave this planet behind and never look back. Pity things just weren't that easy, especially not now. He glanced down, in the perpetual silence that had taken over the Commander and McKay, towards Sheppard's body. He looked absolutely awful. Pale, ghostly skin glistening in the high sunlight from cold and clammy sweat; his lips were now turning a sickly shade of blue, those veins Aiden had noticed before were now more prominent in the daylight.

He made a move towards the Major's body, when the soldier in front of him raised his rifle, aiming it at Ford's head. The young Lieutenant shot up his hands, turning everyone's attention towards them.

"Whoa whoa! Hold up! I'm checking to see if he's ok; alright?!" He shouted, motioning to John's body. The soldier gave a sideways glance to Dran, who silently nodded. Ford squatted down, slowly, keeping his eyes on the gun pointed at his head until he was near his fallen teammate. He then went about pulling John's collar down, placing two fingers to his throat, at first taken back by how frozen and slimy it felt.

" Now would be a real good time for you to get it back together Sir." Aiden whispered unhappily under his breath to Sheppard, who remained still as the dead. His eyes then narrowed, fingers moving around John's neck searching. "I can't find his pulse." He said finally, looking up and directly at McKay.

Rodney's heart sunk deep into his stomach, where he was sure it was being dissolved away as it churned painfully.

Teyla could stand it no more, yanking her hands away from the soldier who had been restraining them behind her. Her gaze feel to Dran, pleading with him. "His health fades, if we do not help him, he will die. I think you understand that position, Commander." She paused, searching his expression, adding. "Please."

Dran's frown lessened, leaving him with no expression at all before he turned his attention back to Rodney. "Release them." The Commander waved a dismissive hand to his soldier, signaling what he wanted. "Well Doctor McKay, if it's that urgent you leave, then you must go."

"Thank y---" McKay began, letting out a hidden sigh of relief, before he was suddenly cut off.

"Oh don't _misinterpret_ this, Doctor. This is a conditional release until I can have a chat with your leader." Dran turned and pointed out two of his unit and motioned for them to come forward and stand beside him. "That condition being I will also accompany you to your base of operations, along with two of my men, armed."

Sheppard should have seen that coming, McKay heard that sentiment in the sound of the Major's voice inside his mind. _"Clever son of a… He's just letting us go so he can have a little look at our stuff." _

"Ah, you really expect me to just allow you come waltzing in with us armed?" Rodney shot back.

Commander Dran, chuckled, cool and collective, sounding harmless. Though that same laugh, was rubbing Sheppard wrong, not that he could do anything about it. Dran then added with a more serious inflection. "Not at all, but nor are you in any position to be making ultimatums." He then once again turned quaint. Dran, to McKay, was a damn rollercoaster of water-downed emotions, none of them really seemed pure, except for the coercion, that…..from Dran was pure. "I'm a fair man, Doctor. As you'll come to find in time."

The A'vok then stepped forward, clapping a hand onto Rodney's shoulder, walking him along through his men until they stood alone. He smiled, politely, thinking they could speak frankly and alone. John was the one laughing now, who knew this would give him the opportunity to play spy for awhile.

"I'm simply looking towards the best interest of your wounded man, and of course, myself." Dran said softly, his words sounding as if he was almost hurt by the suggestion. "Would you expect me to enter into foreign territory without any sort of protection? Only a fool would do that, and I think you'll come to find as well, Doctor; that I'm no fool."

McKay frowned, looking off towards the dusty earth.

"Now, is that an _adequate_, condition for you?" The hand on Rodney's shoulder, squeezed, ever so slightly. Dran took the physicist's silence as contemplation, when really, McKay was waiting for what Sheppard thought of the idea. He didn't have to wait long.

"_Do we really have a choice? Let him come along, Weir will know what to do." _

"Fine." Rodney said finally, looking back up to Dran. The Commander's face eased, as he clapped his hands together. "Excellent." He then lead them back towards the group of A'vokien soldiers, Teyla watching both men intently, wondering what was said between them when they were out of earshot. But her question was soon answered as Dran spoke more liberally, glancing from Ford to Teyla, then back to Rodney. "I'm very intrigued to see what sort of operation you have running. It's not very often we A'vok find such, _unique_ people in the same planetary system." McKay couldn't help but scowl, especially from the look he was getting from Teyla. If felt accusing to say the least, like he'd bent under pressure, gave them all in. It wasn't though, John had told him to do it. No one seemed to understand that though. The physicist's attention was drawn back up to the Commander as he cleared his throat and spoke pleasantly.

"Well Doctor McKay, to waste a minute is almost as imprudent as wasting an eternity."

_"I really; don't like this guy."_ Sheppard remarked condescendingly.

Rodney smirked then, replying to both Dran and John. "The feeling's mutual."

* * *

TBC.....


	4. Home Again, Home Again

A/N: You ever noticed that when you were a kid, the holidays took like, _Forever_, to come. And now that you're older, you turn around right as they bite you in the butt, like out of no where. But you still love'em? Such a strange beast. Anyway, the holidays are FINALLY over. Well, over for me at least. And, battling a nasty head cold, I give thee a chapter. I apologize it isn't much, but there's a doosy of a cliff in store for you. Hope everyone is having a safe and wonderful new year. Happy 2005!!!

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**Chapter Four:** _Home Again, Home Again_

* * *

Rodney had flown the Puddle Jumper a handful of times, more or less under the pressure of time and circumstance, this time, was no different. Yet, also this time, as his hands stayed glued to the controls, mind trying to concentrate on flying the Jumper smoothly through the Gate's Event Horizon and not killing them all, that it was much easier. His thoughts were much more focused then he remembered them being, the ship handled easier then it ever had. And John at that moment had been quiet for the several minutes it took to fly across the jungle, dial the Gate and get back to the city. McKay wondered then if he was possibly trying to cook up some sort of plan.

Commander Dran, keeping as close to Rodney as he could without seeming at all eager, sat next to him in the passenger seat, Teyla, Ford and Dran's two men sat in the back of the ship. It was Dran who first spoke up as Atlantis's Gate room finally came within view in a matter of seconds, since then, the Jumper was cast in a deathly silence.

"A most, impressive city you have here Dr. McKay."

That voice was starting to rub Rodney the wrong way to say the least. However, Dran remained ever calm, soothing and unnervingly majestic. The sooner they landed the Jumper and got everyone out, McKay could leave _Herr Commander_ to Weir and get himself and Sheppard to the infirmary. Rodney found himself worrying about John then, mulling mathematically his chances of survival when he heard a most familiar voice, oddly thankful to hear it that moment.

_"Hey, Colonel Clink made a comment, pay attention. And quit worrying about me, I'll be fine, you just concentrate on getting us un-arrested and better yet, unfused." _

McKay cleared his throat, moving his hands over the console acting as if he hadn't the time to reply right away, being too busy piloting when really the autopilot was simply on. Thankfully, Dran didn't know that. "Why yes------Atlantis is the most technological advanced outpost known to man, a superior defense system, boasted only by our strategically located Stargate, or what you call, the Ring." He gave the Commander a small smirk, even if that whole, superior defense thing was a big old lie at that point. "We're pretty proud of it."

Dran nodded, staring out the Jumper's window as they rose upwards into the Jumper-bay, slipping neatly through a hole that opened up in the Gate room's ceiling. "As you should be….but you've yet to see my capital, Temmerist. Our shear population and industrial innovation are the greatest in all seven planets under A'vokien territory, in fact more likely greater then any civilization in the known universe. " He then chuckled thoughtfully, eyeing the physicist with that air of superiority that grated on more nerves then one. "Your, Atlantis-----would fit inside one of our city squares."

"How _furtive_ of you to point that out Commander." McKay's smile sharpened something wicked, narrowing his eyes at the glary ones behind Dran's glasses. "Usually as a rule I find lesser, more compactable things prove their worth against superior, more cumbersome things, don't you?" He returned Dran's thoughtful laugh, though McKay's sounded far more forced. "You know, the bigger they are the harder they fall, comes to mind."

His smile faded as Dran cocked a brow, not even flinching as the Jumper suddenly made contact with the floor of the bay with a dull clank. Through McKay's eyes, John noted the Commander's reflexes were like a block of wood; solid, unwavering, and worst of all, so simplistic that one was often surprised he made them at all. But perhaps that was the catch, Sheppard thought to himself. Like any man, woman, or alien alike, everyone had a braking point; every piece of wood could be burned. John simply had to find Dran's and exploit it. But that in itself was a task and he had enough things to worry about.

The Commander then replied simply, coolly yet with the hint of deeper meaning that Sheppard at the moment, couldn't place and passed it off as a result from Rodney's offhanded insult. "Motivating words to live by, Doctor. I'll have to remember that saying."

Teyla had been listening very carefully to the conversation between McKay and Dran, She didn't trust this A'vok Commander, a culture she herself had never heard of, nor did she understand why he had to come with them to the city. She was though, relieved to be heading back considering the Major's condition. Teyla turned her attention to where John's body was laid out in the very back of the Jumper. She unbuckled herself and glared to the solider keeping an ever watchful eye on her.

"I am going to check on his condition, if that is alright." Though her tone had no sense of asking to it what so ever, the Athosian waited long enough for the man to give her a hesitant nod. She walked carefully over to Sheppard, kneeling down along side his body and placing a hand on his paled cheek. He was so cold, flesh clammy and stiff. With a worried sigh she reached over and pulled the woolen blanket she had placed on him before they took off, up to his chin. Teyla was in a quiet awe at how peaceful his face looked, no trace of suffering. That much to her was a relief, but it wasn't enough to ease her mind.

Ford glanced over to Dran's second solider, sitting next to him. The guy had to be the same age as him at least. "So; what kind of gun is that?" Aiden spoke up. The solider turned to him and Ford nodded towards the strange rifle he was holding, the lad's clutch on it tightened.

"Wouldn't you like to know." He replied suspiciously.

"Actually, yeah I would." Ford gave him a playful smile, showing he was only curious. He pulled the shoulder strap off his arm and held up his own gun. "Trade ya."

The solider studied the Lieutenant for a moment, his gaze moving from him to the gun then back to him several times over before he pressed a small green button on the side of the alien gun. There was a short series of bleeps before a three inch panel slid open on the rifle's handle. A thick glass cylinder filled with blue swirling energy slid out from the opening with a small whoosh. This he pocketed and promptly handed it over to Ford, each gun crossing the isle to the opposite man.

The A'vok watched Aiden carefully as the Lieutenant looked the rifle over, gauging the weight which was far lighter then anything they carried, cast from a cool dark metal with no visible bolts in which to hold it together. Ford felt around the handle and to his great surprise, found that there wasn't a trigger, instead, along the hand-grip there were several horizontal channels embossed in, fitting neatly with each one of his fingers.

As Aiden wrapped his hand firmly around the gun's grip, he could feel a smooth plate under each fingertip. The guns must have had some sort of print recognition, or, touch sensory that made them fire.

"That." The soldier chimed in, sounding most impressed with himself. "Is an Atomic Unit Gun, or Auggy as we like to call it. Fires a three point energy pulse that expands on impact to a five to six points in diameter. Fifty AU's a second, able to penetrate a metal wall ten points thick." He mused, gauging Ford's reaction, which was at first hinted to a slight shock, but the Lieutenant remained adamant and coy, no sense in stroking the enemy's ego. "Kills instantly." The A'vok added smugly.

Ford nodded to himself, humming. Figuring the A'vok must have meant Inches when he used the word Points. Still, something to watch out for. "Mmmm, not bad." His attention then went to his, personal weapon of choice that was currently laid on the soldier's lap. The A'vok picked it up, grimacing at the weight no doubt, but giving the rifle the careful eye none the less as Ford commented. "That's a FN P90 Submachine gun, shoots 10mm metal projectiles we like to call bullets at about around two hundred rounds per minute, fifty rounds per clip. One bullet on it's own can penetrate a person from several yards away." Aiden returned the smirk, as the solider looked up to him. Ford found the next bit too hard to resist. "It causes internal bleeding. So----death is real slow, and very, _very_ painful."

The A'vok's smile faded as he handed the gun back to Ford. "Impressive." He said blandly, trying to hide the obvious fact that he'd had not only been bested, but beaten as well.

Ford shrugged, replying in a mocked consideration. "Thanks." Score one for the home team….

* * *

Dr. Elizabeth Weir had spent most of that last hour and a half pacing inside the control room, watching the empty Stargate continue to remain empty to her worry. The renewed scheduling time, according to Ford's request from Sheppard had come and gone with no contact from the planet. A very bad sign.

She was relieved then to find moments later, after she had made about her thirty-seventh pass over the same spot on the floor, there came an incoming wormhole, followed by McKay's IDC. The entire gate room crew watched as the Jumper made a wobbly entrance through the event horizon leading the doctor to believe her team wasn't in complementary shape. Weir's fears were deepened when, as she made her way to the Jumper bay, medical assistance was being, more or less shouted for, over the intercom. She briskly jogged the rest of the way, as the ship finally touched down on the bay's metallic floor with a dull thud, door sliding open to reveal a very weary looking Teyla supporting one half of John's body on her shoulders Ford following her out carrying the other.

Weir's face fell, her skin clammed up when she saw the condition the Major was in, though he was moved too briefly for her to see if he was shot or wounded in any way. Before she knew it, Rodney was stepping out of the Jumper and right behind him, three complete strangers.

"Rodney, you want to tell me just what happened to you." Elizabeth asked apprehensively as she was approached by the physicist, the three foreign men, keeping close behind him, as she noticed now two were burnishing guns. "And who's this?"

McKay raised a finger about to explain when Weir motioned behind them all, towards John's body as it was carefully resting upon a gurney that had just arrived. "And what happened to Major Sheppard?" Rodney had expected that, but perhaps not so soon.

"Major, Sheppard…" McKay heard Dran mutter beside him, casting a clandestine glance to Weir. Rodney let out a sigh, figuring the jig was up and the Commander now knew better. Of course not to Elizabeth's fault, she did unintentionally blow his cover as leader. _"Well we did have the upper hand." _McKay heard John mutter. Which reminded him then that they all needed to get to the infirmary, not only Sheppard's body, but his mind as well.

McKay cleared his throat, trying to sound as cheerful as he could. "Well you see ah, Elizabeth, a funny thing happened on the way back to the Jumper."

"Really." Weir said unequivocally, eyeing Commander Dran as he eyed her equally back, standing a few inches above her.

"Ah…" He flinched, stepping aside, holding his hand out towards the A'vok. "Dr. Weir this is Commander Dran, leader of the A'vokien taskforce and as it would seem----we're currently, more technically. Under his arrest."

Her eyes widened as Elizabeth's mouth clenched in and around itself.

"Sorry." Rodney blurted, the word dying under his breath even before it came out, as he fidgeted. "A misunderstanding best compared to the size of China."

Weir, clamed immensely, tucking her shock away upon seeing the Commander's reaction to it all. Matching his subdued nature in realizing this was quite possibly a hostile situation. She figured then that this must, have been Sheppard's idea. "I see." She replied lightly, looking up to Dran. "Commander, would you care to, step into my office were we can discuss these matters."

"It would be an honor, Dr. Weir." Dran replied quaintly, closing his dark eyes behind the gleam of his glasses, which flashed as he bowed shortly. Weir had to admit then, at least the man had some class. Not rash and blunt as say, Koyla. But a threat was a threat, and this situation needed to be handled with kid-gloves.

"I'm sure we can come to some sort of agreement after I hear what mypeople have allegedly done." Elizabeth continued, noticing that Teyla had now walked up to them, looking to interrupt.

"If I may, Dr. Weir." The Athosian spoke up. "I should like to speak on behalf of our team as to the events that took place on, Commander Dran's planet." Teyla was far from letting their treatment go, and whether in private or in conference, Weir would hear about it. Besides, Sheppard would have wanted someone in there, who knew their side of the story. Who knew what Dran might try to twist in there, paint on them to make it look like they had done something wrong when in fact, they were more then innocent.

"That will be fine Teyla, if that's alright with you, Commander." Elizabeth nodded, not at all looking forward to the conversation.

"Most….acceptable." Dran smiled coldly, refusing to acknowledge that Teyla was even there.

McKay watched the interplay of looks from one person to another and remembered he had better and more important things to do. See to himself that is, and Sheppard, of course. "Well, I'm sure you'll have a nice powwow without me we're----" Rodney stuttered, giving himself a mental slap in the face. "_I'm_ going to head to the infirmary, see if ah, John's alright."

_"Smooth McKay, real smooth."_

With that Rodney spun around on his heals and made apassive yet hasty getaway before Weir could stop him, glad to be leaving Commander _Stalin _in the hands of a professional.

* * *

"So you're sayin' that John's some how, ended up in your body?" Carson Beckett asked again as he shined his pen light into McKay's eyes, making the physicist flinch for a moment. "Via an alien machine."

"Not my body." Rodney winced as the light passed back and forth, Carson watch the reaction up close as he held an iron grip on McKay's chin. He managed to pull away as Beckett clicked the light off, looking satisfied. "Somehow his mind has been transfused into mine, I can hear him like he's talking right next to me, but no body else can."

"Cause he's in your head." Beckett continued, picking up a clip board and eyeing McKay thoughtfully.

"You don't believe me do you? How many times in how many ways to do want me to clarify it?!" He snapped. "I found the thing, he touched the thing, now he's in here not out there where he belongs-----now we're both _screwed!_." Rodney sighed, lowering his head and adding softly, apologetically. "Reason aside, I don't believe me either."

_"Who the hell would? This is like, straight out of the Twilight Zone." _

"Well." Carsonscribbled a few things down before he took a seat on the cot sitting parallel to the one Rodney was slumping on, while Sheppard's body was lying comfortably a few beds down, hooked up to all sorts of monitoring equipment. "I'm not surprised to hear it, knowin' what kind of trouble we're liable to see all the way out here….but, it's a wee bit hard to swallow, even for you."

McKay looked up, catching Beckett in the most sincere look he could muster. "Listen, all I know is, one minute Sheppard's with us, the next, he's laid out and I'm hearing voices. Now either I'm going schizo or that device on that planet did something to us."

"Just, calm yourself. No sense gettin' all worked up. Now, we've stabilized him best we could for now, but I'm goin' to need your help to figure this all out." Carson stood up hugging the clipboard to his chest with one arm, while placing a hand on Rodney's forehead with another.

McKay rolled his eyes. "I told you I feel fine, just, a little tired."

"And knowin' you, you sayin' that makes me think otherwise." Beckett removed his hand and turned to the medical tray lined with the tools of his trade. He picked up a small handheld thermometer, pushing a few buttons, resetting it while slipping a sterile cover onto the long sensor. Stretching the spiral cord that ran between the two Carson nodded for McKay to open his mouth.

Rodney, protested. "I said I'm fine Carson."

Beckett gave him a careful glare. "Either you open up or we do this the hard way. There's more then one way to take a man's temperature, I remind you."

_"I think he means business there Skip." _John mused, echoing in McKay's head as the physicist reluctantly opened his mouth. "You don't get a say in this, just be thankful you're comatose."

Carson gave him an odd look as he slipped the sensor under Rodney's tongue. McKay batted the doctor's hand away and held the thermometer himself, sighing through his nose.

_"Don't bite it." _

"I'wm nowt bwitting ait!" McKay retorted, looking to the side as if talking to the Major's body many beds behind him.

"No talking." Beckett scolded watching the digital numbers click up. Rodney was about to say something else before he stopped himself, finding it a waste of energy. No good would come from him driving himself any further over the edge.

_"Good physicist." _McKay could practically hear the smile in John's voice.

Before long, there was a series of beeps and thankfully Carson pulled the thermometer from McKay's mouth and popped the sterile sheath into the garbage. "Well you've got a bit of a temperature….99.3"

"That's not that bad. Right?" Asked McKay hesitantly. He'd had fevers before, real bad ones even when he was a kid, he was one for chronic bronchitis with his asthma and all, the air in the middle and high schools wasn't always that great and Winter was murder once the heaters were turned on.

Carson put the thermometer down, jotting the reading on his clipboard before looking back down at him. "No, but, I'd like to run a few test on you, CAT scan, EKG, the usual cocktail. Just to make sure everythin' is alright."

"But it's not alright, _We're_ not alright as long as he's up in there." McKay emphasized feeling overly that the doctor just wasn't getting it.

Beckett chimed in quickly, trying to comfort the man. "I'm sure he is Rodney, but that doesn't mean I can just ignore your physical state, especially if I have to worry about two of you in there, alright?"

_"Can't he just give you a shot in the ass and lollypop so we can get back to work?" _Carson watched McKay carefully, he seemed to be concentrating on something, listening in. After a moment, Rodney frowned, glancing back up the doctor. "John wants you to give me a shot in the ass so we can go."

Beckett laughed. "Now that, sound's like Sheppard. Maybe he is up in your noggin after all."

"You think I'd make something like this up?"

"_Well you did forget the lollypop, which I might add, was mildly funny. So now neither of us get candy, thank you very much Rainer of Parades." _John rambled on, as Rodney desperately tried to ignore him so he could pay attention to Beckett. John had turned into that little, nagging voice in one's head, except, this one wouldn't shut up a will and had a personality to boot.

Carson continued trying to make sense out of a situation that was just sprung upon him, and; McKay had to admit, a rather incredible one at that. "No, but I don't know what sort of residual effects this alien device has had on the both of you. For all I know, he could really be in there, and for all I know----" Carson sighed slipping his pen in his pocket. "He might not."

"Carson, I'm not nuts." McKay exclaimed. "This is riducul---" He stopped then, glancing off to the side.  
"_One nut short of a Planters can." _

"Oh shut up!" Rodney snarled, catching himself and inhaling deeply. He had to calm down, people in the room were staring at him, and he couldn't exactly ignore why.

Beckett eyed him. "Excuse me?" It was one thing that McKay was claiming to have John camped out in his mind, but mood swings were quite another. Perhaps he was worse off then he looked.

"Not you, _him_." Rodney raised a dismissive hand, placing the other to his temple, rubbing it tenderly. He was getting a headache that was for sure. He spoke then clearly, aiming it at what it seemed, no on in particular. "And just remember Major, this is primarily your fault we're in this mess, or more or less _I'm _in this mess." Carson realized then that McKay must have been actually having an argument with John. And what a strange site that was in itself.

John growled deep within the confines of McKay's brain, sounding less then pleasant. "_Ah, who's in a coma? Last time I check, not you alright buddy-boy. So quit the bleeding heart crap so we can end this little escapade. Don't get me wrong, it's been a REAL treat." _Which was pure bunk on the physicist's part. Sheppard couldn't believe that even with his own life on the line, McKay would focus only on himself. The Major was about to say something more when suddenly he caught onto a feeling that was becoming relatively commonplace to him for the pass hour or so. Fear. Rodney was brewing with it, so much so that John felt slightly smothered by it. It made him angry, which is why he guessed then Rodney was so angry. He had to keep in mind, this must have been a defensive maneuver for the man. McKay was shivering softly, Sheppard could feel that much, and it felt awful. How often did Rodney feel like this?

"You alright?" Carson asked slowly, wondering what was going on up there since McKay had become suddenly quiet, worrying the doctor.

_"Yeah."_John replied to no one.

"No." McKay quickly corrected him, looking up to Beckett with a weary gaze. This, was exhausting. "I'm just tired."

Beckett sighed, nodding. Better to get everything done now so he could let the man rest, he looked like he certainly needed it. "I'm goin' to go and get everythin' prepped for you." He paused mid-sentence correcting himself with a smile." You both that is---just----sit tight."

_"Not like I have much choice." _

Rodney shut his eyes as Beckett stalked off, rubbing his temple once more, the pain pulsing dully just underneath his skull. "Eh I wouldn't talk, you're just lucky you didn't get spit out into the cosmos with the rest of the antimatter."

_"Yeah well, I probably would have been better off!" _Forget formalities, now McKay was just being a dick. Rodney squeezed his eyes shut, he forced a laugh shaking his head. Great, now the pounding in his head was ringing in his ears. It took a few moments before he realized that, the sound wasn't just inside him, but all around him.

_"What the hell is that sound?" _Sheppard echoed the question Rodney was unsure to ask.

Opening his eyes, Rodney looked up, focusing his ears on where the loud wail of alarm was coming from. It wasn't an incoming wormhole, or the security alarms. He turned then, eyes bouncing from one bed on to the other, until his sites fell on John's body. "It's you." Rodney muttered suddenly, growing pale as medical staff, including Beckett swarmed around Sheppard's bed. "You're dying."

* * *

TBC!!!! 


	5. Deception Tastes Sweeter Then Truth

A/N: Ah the joys of the winter season. The freezing outside, the snow, and the colds. I seem to have been doubled-teamed by germs. The pile of tissues next to me at this moment, would scare you. Anyway, I've complained enough. Such a great response to this story, I just want to take a moment and thank all that have reviewed thus far. I'm glad your enjoying the story so much, it's all I could ever ask for. So, without further ado, a more then late update. Enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter Five:** _Deception_ _Tastes Sweeter Then Truth_

* * *

Teyla's back was straighter then a plank of wood, her hands folded neatly on the table and a look of pure complacency played across her face. She would, under no circumstance let on to anyone, especially this A'vokien leader see that she wanted nothing more then to run down to the infirmary and see if John was alright.

Commander Dran was currently indulging Weir in pleasant talk. Most of which for Teyla, went through one ear and out the other because her mind was elsewhere. Before this, the lengthy meeting had consisted of Elizabeth telling Dran about their current situation in Atlantis, though just the general information. It wasn't wise to show your new acquaintance all your cards in one sitting, so she kept mostly to the threat the Wraith posed to them. Weir was more then surprised to find the Commander had no idea what a Wraith was, and that their society wasn't plagued by such foul creatures, as Dran put it.

Up to that point in time, they had heard nothing, via person or intercom from the infirmary. Which meant to Teyla that either nothing was particularly wrong or; and this she tried her hardest not to dwell on, that they were too busy down there to call up. And busy, in that part of the city usually meant something had gone horribly wrong.

Teyla wondered then when had her life become so hectic? She remembered a time when all she worried about, was a possible culling from the Wraith, about whether or not she would see another day after the last. Now, life had taken on a completely new load of troubles, most of which she never asked for or even dreamed could be possible. But did she mind? No, not a bit because here in the city, she had purpose. Life had more meaning to it, a greater satisfaction to her. What with the chance to see other worlds, the wonders of meeting new races far outweighed the mass of danger that could come with it.

Her thoughts drifted on to if the people of Earth had never come to Atlantis, if say she was still living in her village and not the city, would she still be alive? Would she perhaps be one of the thousands upon thousands eventually captured and consumed by the Wraith----a fate worse then death. The very thought made her shutter, making the sound of her name being said, sound distant and surreal.

"Teyla, are you alright?" Weir came again, looking more concerned over the Athosian's wellbeing at the moment then the pressing matter of her team being under alien arrest. Teyla realized Dran and Elizabeth must have begun discussing the actual events on the planet while the Athosian was lost in thought. A costly mistake from what she could read from the Commander's self-satisfied expression. Perhaps he thought distraction was a character flaw.

Teyla bowed her head, nodding once. "I am simply concerned about the Major's health, I was collecting my thoughts."

"We all are, it was a very unfortunate accident from what I've ascertained from each of you." Weir agreed as Dran sat back in his seat, looking to make himself comfortable and taking up the same position of Teyla with his long, thin fingers laced together on the tabletop. Weir looked to him then, feeling the man was some how seeking for an apology, though he really didn't deserve any at all. "And I think that the actions on both sides were, equally as accidental. Wouldn't you agree Commander?"

Dran turned his gaze towards Elizabeth, his lenses gleaming in the overhead light making his eyes flash brightly. "As it would seem, that planet, what you call P2M-744 has yet to be explored by our researchers. Rather foreign territory considering the land's under our jurisdiction. That temple you found had gone completely unnoticed to us until now."

Weir watched the Commander carefully, trying to judge what he was saying was in fact the truth, though the man was very hard to gauge as she had quickly discovered. With such controlled and calculated emotions, well, even the diplomats back on Earth had their boiling points, plights they were passionate about. Dran didn't seem to have any. "Have you ever seen a temple like that on any of your other planets, any similar devices?"

He seemed to think the question over, gears working in his mind so smoothly, the answer that came afterwards was more poetic then Weir had expected. "Why yes, we have, partially. The temple belongs to the wondrous yet, sadly long extinct race called the Yu'set rumored to be thriving in the beginnings of our known history. They practiced strange rituals of renewal we devised eventually lead to their own destruction. A rather, tragic end." The Commander mused, sounding smug. "In pursuit of prolonging their lives, they inadvertently shortened them."

"And the device within the temple belonged to these, Yu'set?" Teyla asked then, searching her memory then for any recollection of the race, finding she remembered nothing.

Dran looked to her, starring down his nose. It seemed that the aspect of speaking to anyone lower then the person in charge was very bothersome to the man. Something Weir duly noted. "So it would seem. Though as I said before, our knowledge of the situation on Verathus, your P2M-744 is only partial. I suspect from the outer working of the temple that it's of Yu'set make, though this device that you speak of, the one your team found, I've in fact…..never heard of."

"So you have no idea what it's capable of?" Elizabeth asked finally.

He nodded slowly, twisting his expression into something that looked like sympathy. "As I've said, no." Dran raised a lath hand, running two fingers along the length of his left eyebrow, to then smooth back his stiff, slicked hair. "And again I apologize about the condition of your solider Dr. Weir, but the A'vok won't accept accountability for something that we weren't even aware of. I'm sure if you placed yourself in my position, you'd do the same thing. It's a matter of, wrong place at the wrong time, you understand. An accident."

"Do your people often on _accident_, treat your visitors so harshly?" The Athosian mumbled bitterly, loud enough for even the two armed A'vok standing close behind Dran's seat to hear.

The comment made the Commander raise the brow he had just touched.

"You must understand, Miss Emmagan." This being the first time Dran had even addressed her by name. "We're in the middle of a great political shift in power. A new emperor is just days away from being apointed leaving us scrambling to deter any sort of, terrorist activities on _seven_ different planets. Your actions were viewed as a threat, and all threats must be dealt with accordingly. And errors, not only are costly, but can't be undone."

"We do understand that, Commander, we're not blaming you for your extremes, _under_ the circumstances. But I have a man badly injured on one of your planets, from something you have no idea about and you're expecting me to except that with a smile." Weir retorted, taking on a sterner tone. She didn't exactly agree with the not blaming the A'vok for what they did to Sheppard's team while being taken captive, she supposed it was the sort of behavior any secret service agent would take preventing a possible threat, but from what Teyla described to her, Dran's men had gone a bit above and beyond the notion of 'determent'.

"If it was at a better time Doctor, I assure you, you'd have the full support of the A'vok, but now, our resources are spread quite thin. But, in consideration, I think we could let you're little, innocent exploration----." That last word he said towards Teyla hinting on condescending. "—go with a fair warning."

"But what about Major Sheppard, Commander?"

Dran shrugged his shoulders, speaking in a straightforward tone. "In the struggle to attain knowledge Doctor, one must expect to sacrifice much for it. But you have my sympathies for your comrade. From what I've heard, he seemed like a good man."

"You speak of him as if he were dead!" Teyla snapped, unfolding her hands and placing her palms, hot and outstretched on the table top, wanting more then anything to show Dran just how much she appreciated his men's behavior back on the planet.

He turned his blazing eyes to her then, dark and gleaming with a deeper malice behind such a calm and controlled face. Dran seemed to relax then, smiling softly, furrowing his brow. "I've upset you, please, forgive me. Your Major Sheppard still lives, in an altered state but alive nonetheless; forgive my rudeness. The, A'vok don't believe in letting a man, or woman go on living in such a way, trapped like a prisoner in their own body."

Teyla, had intentionally left out the part where McKay claimed John was speaking to him inside his head. Leading both Weir and Dran to believe Sheppard was simply comatose. She wasn't exactly sure why she had left that most important detail out but, at the moment she felt it was something John wouldn't want the Commander to know.

Just then there came a knock at Weir's office door. Everyone looked up to find a technician standing looking more apologetic for interrupting then anything else. She cleared her throat and held up a folder. "Ah, Dr. Weir, I need you to look something over."

"Can it wait Brooks?" Elizabeth sighed. Even with this crisis, Atlantis kept running, people still had their agendas to see to, and it seemed to Weir she needed to be in more places then one at the same time.

"I wouldn't take a moment of your time Doctor, and, it's pretty urgent." Brooks replied clutching the actually, empty, folder in her hand; inwardly pleading that Weir would just agree and step out of the room for a minute. Brooks seemed to sweat where she stood, finding the A'vokien leader's eyes burn into her.

"I'm sorry Commander Dran, I still have a city to run, you understand." Weir said finally.

"Of course." Dran grinned faintly motioning towards the door as if allowing Weir to do her own business. As she stood, he stood, bowing to her with a deeper smile. Though his reasons were deeply seeded in who knew what, the man still had his manners. The very notion made Teyla sick to her stomach as she watched him. If they didn't need the A'vok so badly, she would have gladly escorted him to the Gate herself and kicked him out of Atlantis.

Dran sat back down watching Weir as she walked round the conference table and met the woman named Brooks at the door. They spoke hushed and Weir seemed to pause, considering something as she placed a hand on Brook's shoulder and both women walked out into the hallway.

"You're opinion of me is lacking, isn't it Miss Emmagan?" The Commander casually asked off the side of his mouth, looking back to Teyla after his stare at the empty doorway ended. His eyes were piercing, penetrating, and for the first time in a long time, Teyla actually felt uncomfortable.

Keeping her composure, the Athosian angled her head slightly, frowning. "By your actions today Commander, I see no reason to let you take step in this city again." She watched as the piercing glare curled over; Dran smiled lightly, leaning into the table as he gestured with a hand.

"Oh, considering I didn't have you and your, so called 'team', _shot on site----_" The Commander's words trickled harshly from his thin lips, and that glare returned, harder then Teyla had ever seen it. "----You should be on your knees kissing the ground I happen to walk on. Or perhaps I'm not being clear enough for you, though this is the first time I've met an Athosian; I can see why your people were almost wiped out by these, Wraith."

Teyla, fumed, clenching her jaw. In all her days, she'd never been so openly slighted.

Dran grinned triumphantly, leaning back in his chair. "Now that, is the fire I expected to see. When you recalled about how you, underhandedly put down one of my more promising pupils, I didn't believe it." He watched her for a moment, Teyla on the other hand looked about ready to leap across the table, close the few feet between her and the Commander and make it the last time he _ever_, insulted her and her people.

He continued shameless. "The people of Atlantis hold promise my dear, I'll say that. Though, primitive in your technology, you have a certain charisma, that the A'vok soldiers of late have been deficient."

She swallowed down her anger, breathing it through her nose in a long calming sigh. "If you believe that you can come here, abuse us, then expect that we come to some sort of trade agreement. You are very mistaken Dran."

"Lost the formalities?" The Commander frowned, seeming hurt. "Very well _Teyla_. You see, I'm not a cold man, in fact I can be very, _very _agreeable. You've only need to be agreeable back, and I think your commander, Dr. Weir in on the verge of starting something exceptionally productive between our people. I wouldn't think you'd want to disrupt that, would you?" He paused a fleeting moment, not even letting her reply.

"It could mean great things Teyla; a great many things if our cultures intertwined. The things we could share with one another. I have to be honest, life as of late on my home planet, has become frightfully dull. And when a situation gets trapped in a rut…oh---" Dran smiled coyly, placing a long finger on his lip, tapping it lightly. "One has only to fathom the numerous possibilities on how to end it. Breath new life into an already dying social structure."

He laughed to himself. "As I've always said-----a man who wields ideas, truly wields power."

The Athosian stared him down unflinching though inwardly she couldn't believe the things he was saying, and the twistedly sweet way Dran presented them. "You, Commander, are a mad man." She said finally wanting more then anything to leave that very minute, seeing a slight flinch in one of the armed soldiers standing behind Dran, she had a feeling her latest comment might have been crossing the line.

Dran seemed to don one of his many masks, this one was the more familiar calm and calculated one.

"That, remains to be seen Miss Emmagan." His shoulders squared out then, making him look nearly attracted to the chair he was in. Dran continued with a chilling tone. "And I would suggest to you; not to look for it."

Meanwhile out in the hallway, Brooks had stopped Elizabeth a few feet from the door, pulling her over to the side.

"What the matter Christy?" Weir asked, taking concern for the young lady's frazzled appearance. Then again Brooks often looked frazzled, but now seemed worse and far more noticeable.

Brooks cleared her throat again and winched up her freckled cheeks. "Well, we just received a message via the Stargate pertaining to the A'voks."

"And?"

"And they said if Commander Dran didn't report back to them in the next half an hour, they would consider it an act of interplanetary terrorism and be forced to take---" Brooks gulped. "---severe actions against us."

Weir nodded, the A'vok race in itself seemed severe just on it's own. She could only imagine what sort of trouble they could unleash if provoked. She didn't need another Genii incident. "Alright Christy, tell Peter to reply that our, negotiations have been successful and Commander Dran will be heading back shortly."

Brooks paused, clenching the empty file in her hand.

"Is there something else?" Elizabeth asked, briefly eyeing the folder. Brooks followed her gaze at the plain manila folder and gasped lightly. "Oh this?! No, no it's nothing really, Peter gave it to me as an excuses to interrupt your meeting. I'm sorry I lied." Christy stammered looking apologetically up to her leader.

Weir smiled thoughtfully, placing a comforting hand on the young woman's shoulder. "It's alright Christy, it was good thinking."

Once again the technician paused, recoiling. "There is something else. Dr. Beckett called up from the infirmary. In eight words or less, Major Sheppard isn't doing very well. And he wants you and Teyla down there ASAP."

"What did he mean by not doing very well?"

Brooks recalled the brief and disturbing communication to the control room, she herself was present for only a few short minutes ago. "Well, he didn't get into specifics, sounded like something happened after he said it and Dr. Beckett had to go. But he wasn't his usual cheerful self if that's any indication."

Weir didn't like that one bit. But she had other matters to contend to at the moment. "Tell him, if he calls back, that we're on our way."

Brooks nodded hastily and clutched the empty folder to her side, hurrying her small frame back down the hall. Weir closed her eyes and sighed. And this day had started out well. She regained her composure quickly and turned back to enter the debriefing room. As she walked in, Elizabeth felt the invisible tension in the room, it was almost like walking into a wall. She caught Dran at the end of his sentence, something like. "for it."

Weir's sudden presence caught both of them off guard, Teyla looking to her in a silent thankfulness that Elizabeth was surprised by. Dran simply smiled, his whole body relaxed, melting back as he stood, giving Weir a short bow. "I hope everything is well Doctor." He said politely.

"As to be expected." Weir replied, giving him a hesitant smile as she walked over to the head of the debriefing table, watching the Athosian's eyes dart for a moment to the Commander, and narrow hatefully. Did she miss something?

Glancing away, Elizabeth turned her attention then to Dran. "Commander, I hate to cut our time short, but your military forces have contacted us, they seem more then eager to have you back."

"Work beckons." Dran mused, as he held a hand out to her. "Please, if you'll escort me to Dommeris's Ring---" He grinned softly, correcting himself. "Or should I say, your Stargate, Doctor; I would much obligated. There are a few more urgent things I wanted to discuss with you." His eyes inevitably shot to Teyla, still sitting. "In private."

Elizabeth nodded. "Of course." Though really she had no desire what so ever to be alone with this man, not with the uneasy feeling she walked in on a moment ago. Something about all this just wasn't right, the conversation was too clean and she still had the matter of possibly doing something about John. "There are a few more things I'd like to talk to you about as well Commander."

"Please, call me Sylis." Dran bowed to Weir again with such poise and respect that Teyla couldn't tell off hand if he meant it at all. Perhaps it was just her who had a problem with him, maybe she was just over judging him for what had begun as a misfortunate mistake. But the things he said, about her and her people, were those just words said in the heat of anger, or something more. Either way, her trust in him neither grew nor waned, for it was never present in the first place.

"Teyla, Dr. Beckett asked for you to go down to the infirmary as soon as you can." Weir spoke to her lightly, wondering what exactly was going on in the Athosian's head at the moment. Teyla simply nodded, standing up and leaving without excusing herself, catching one last roguish grin from Sylis that made that sick feeling in her stomach return. She left the office and that feeling behind her, concentrating on getting to the infirmary, getting to John.

* * *

"So you see." Dran let himself be guided towards the Gate room by Weir after their long and slow walk through the city's many corridors. He stopped them then, seeing his two guards, which he had dismissed at the time to wait for him there, standing by the Stargate.

"We have so much to offer one another Elizabeth." They were on a first name basis now, or at least what Weir would have liked him to believe.

"The potential is endless. Why with the A'vok's technological means, our shear bounds in science and medicine a partnership between our two groups more then justifies itself." Sylis laced his fingers together behind him, engrossed in their conversation to even notice that the Gate had already been dialed and the watery event horizon waited for him and his men.

"Comman----" Weir began but was stopped when Dran raised a finger, smirking. "Sylis." She corrected herself. It seemed a handsome and dark man had an equal handsome and dark name. "I must say it's a tempting offer."

"Far more tempting then you'll find anywhere else." He smiled walking them both towards the Stargate. "And all I ask is for your cooperation in a few matters, the ones we discussed----"

"Elizabeth! There you are!" Came McKay's bark over the constant rush of the horizon just a few feet away from them. Both Dran and Weir turned as the physicist trotted up, looking rather breathless and two seconds away from a meltdown.

"Commander I'm glad you're still here." Rodney couldn't believe he was saying that as a matter of fact. If he never saw that man again, it would make his lifetime. Still, couldn't burn the bridges just yet.

"What's the matter Rodney?" Elizabeth asked, waiting for him to catch his breath. McKay gulped and let out a small cough, considering he ran all the way here, he was feeling pretty good, strange as it was. He didn't even feel the beginning of a stitch in his side and his lungs weren't hurting as much as they use to.

"I hoping all went well with your little pow-wow." McKay began, eyeing Sylis over carefully before continuing.

"The fact of the matter Commander is that we need to go back to the planet."

Dran stood stone still, staring down at McKay with a grimace as his glasses gleamed blue in the Gate light. "And might I ask, what for?"

"No surprise there." Mumbled Rodney. " It's beyond urgent that we bring that device we found in the temple back to the city in order for us to research it and hopefully rectify what it's done." He watched the Commander's expression, finding it unchanging. "Meaning to make Major Sheppard a little less brain dead." Rodney was blunt, if not truthful.

The A'vok nodded leisurely, seeming to mull the request over before replying with subtle unaffectedness. "It can't be done."

"What?" McKay blurted, blinking.

Dran wrinkled his brow, adding plainly. "Besides that device in my opinion is a danger to anyone near it, it simply has to be destroyed."

McKay flinched, finding the answer ridiculous. "Well then why not let us destroy it---_after_ we're done studying it." If Dran really didn't want the thing in existence, if he _really_ had something against it, for whatever reason, Rodney could have easily found a way to get rid of the device. Sink it in the ocean, let it loose to drift in the black of space, whatever needed to be done.

Weir nodded in agreement. "You said yourself it's no use to you Sylis. If it might help my people----" But she was then cut off by Dran who raised a hand, essentially silencing them both.

"You forget, we are in the middle of a great political shift, the borders of each planet are being carefully monitored, passage is forbidden under--_any_—circumstance until it's over; it simply isn't possible."

McKay thought it over. This was the first he heard of this, political thing. Sure it was good enough reason to be cautious but, the situation was a dire one. "What, what if we went under your military's supervision, you can escort us there; watch us like hawks if it makes you feel safer. But that machine is the key to saving Major Sheppard's life, it's an obvious necessity."

"Are you sure you need this, device Rodney?" Elizabeth sighed, looking towards McKay. This wasn't going well at all and Rodney wasn't helping in the slightest. But Weir knew well enough when the man got an itch about something, you'd know. Moreover, if Dran decided to get rebellious, all her careful brick-laying could be destroyed, or worse, he could order an attack on the city, and seeing just a glimpse of what sort of weaponry the A'vok had; it be short battle. McKay looked to her briefly then towards the Commander, glaring up at him, taking on the excitable tone that usually meant things were more then bad.

"Yes, the technology is essential in order to figure out what happened, what caused it could easily answer how to get him back. Even if we can't move the device, your men can supervise us as we work, but I don't need to mention that time right now is passed critical."

Sylis shook his head, taking a most apathetic sympathy, if that could even be accomplished. "You have my deepest apologies. But it's out of my hands, I'm only a small faction in a must larger protocol. The time and pull alone that it would take to get clearance such like that----"

Quiet for only a second, Rodney winched up his face even more; feeling the anger and frustration bubbling up inside him. "That's bullshit! You know you have the authority to do it, you just don't want us snooping around because of something you're obviously hiding." McKay's eyes went wide, he lowered the accusing finger he was pointing at Dran and backed a step up. Where in the hell had that come from?

The Commander's sympathy washed away as quickly as it came. "Might I reminded you, Dr. McKay is that you and your, _team_, are under A'vokien probation, as permitted by me----"

Ignoring his outburst for a later time, Rodney jumped back on the subject fully clawed. "Major Sheppard is currently on life support because his body can't keep itself running anymore, it's _deteriorating_ itself because of your machine! Do you understand that Commander?! Unless we can get to that device and study it properly, _He--will--die._" He emphasized, trying to get some reason with the man, but the A'vok stood unmoved, replying with a dismissive gesture.

" My hands are tied Dr. McKay, if it were any other time…."

"You son of a…." Rodney began defensively when Elizabeth butted in.

"McKay, we'll figure something else out. There has to be another way."

Feeling his welcome here had more then diminished, Dran gave them each a short nod. "I wish you luck Dr. Weir, as to you Dr. McKay, we'll be in contact." Leaving with a grin that made Weir's blood run a little colder, the Commander turned and motioned for his two men to follow him behind. All three stepped through the event horizon with a hissing whoosh before the connection cut out and the Stargate was dark once more. Much to McKay's objection.

"You're---you're just going to let him go are you?!"

Elizabeth tried to relax a bit, this wasn't going to be easy; then again, whatever was? "Rodney, if Dran is the only string we have left between helping John and him dying, I'm not willing to snap it, understand? The Commander and I have come to an agreement of sorts----"

"Oh you're not serious! You actually made trade negotiations with him? You don't honestly trust him do you?! His men acted completely irrational, which doesn't surprise me coming from a supped-up, neo-Nazi, alien military----" Rodney snarled.

Weir gently interjected. "I've made amends for what you and Major Sheppard did on that planet. We don't even know what Dran was planning to do with you otherwise, and I wasn't willing to find out. He's right, we've been let off with a warning, let's leave it at that."

Rolling his eyes, McKay crossed his arms over his chest, feeling a sudden chill run through him. He didn't feel well at all, perhaps he should have stayed in the infirmary after all like Beckett ordered him to. "Easy for you to say, you don't have a disembodied Major running the damn peanut gallery up in your head." He had left as soon as he was sure John was stable. And when Sheppard thankfully told him to go find Elizabeth, Rodney left without retort, finding he couldn't stand being there anymore either.

Weir looked puzzled, unsure she had heard that last comment from the physicist correctly. "What do you mean, in your head? What's going on?"

McKay, peeved more then angered to have to explain this yet again, lighted up at seeing the look of disquiet on Weir's face. Besides, working himself up wouldn't really help anyone, especially himself. "I see you didn't get the memo." McKay replied with a regretful smile before he began his ranting explanation. "That device on Dran's planet, the one that we inadvertently activated, transferred Sheppard's consciousness into my head leaving him with zero brain activity. On top of that, according to Carson his body is actually breaking itself down."

"How is that even possible?"

McKay turned then, Weir ultimately following him as he made his way across the Gate room, explaining hurriedly as they walked. "Something in the device's particle wave changed the molecular structure of the Major's body, I'm not sure how or why, but essentially; John's body is slowly decomposing itself. Now whether that would or wouldn't happen if his consciousness was in his own body, I'm not sure of either. But we just let our one and only chance of finding out walk right through the Gate."

"Either the Commander reconsiders, which I'm not holding my breath for might I add, or we discover something comparing the device on P2M-744 to some of the Ancient technology we have here."

Now finding herself in the hallway leading to the infirmary, Weir agreed, though in truth the concept still baffled her a bit. "Alright. Whatever you need from me, you have. I'm sure if anyone can find another solution Rodney, it's you." Which was all the comfort she could find at the moment. If it wasn't a threat from outside the city, or from inside, it was something else. But even the greatest of explorations have their pitfalls, and she was slowly learning to except this. Though the possibility of losing one of her best members didn't make that concept any easier to swallow.

McKay stopped them then in the corridor, giving Weir a direct look. "For John's sake, Elizabeth….you better be right."

"_Me too."_ John grumbled sadly, echoing in Rodney's mind.


	6. The Man With Two Brains

A/N: Thought I disappeared, didn't you? I know, I know….evil author. :smacks hand: Well, things have been…pretty wild but I won't bore you with details. Just here to present a double chapter whammy, kinda….which hopefully makes up for my horrible updating habit. Things have been getting awfully serious for our boys so I decided to make this one a little lighter…with the occasional drama mixed in…enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter Six:** _The Man With Two Brains_

* * *

"Essentially." Beckett mumbled as he pushed a few buttons on the heart monitor, jotting down that hour's readings before turning back with a heavy face to the group gathered around Sheppard's bed. "The equipment is the only thing keepin' him alive at the moment." 

"And what about his head?" Ford asked hesitantly, it wasn't his first time seeing someone on life-support, but in all his time here, he'd never thought John would be the next person he saw on them.

Carson took a quick glance to McKay, catching the physicist in a blank stare at the Major's body before the man blinked into action and looked up to each of them, finding Teyla, Weir, Ford, and Beckett watching him carefully. "Well" Beckett began, motioning a finger that he wanted to be followed. He moved over to a X-ray viewer supported on a metal table. With a flick of a switch the blank white panel flickered on with a buzz. Carson pulled several X-rays from a large folder nearby and placed them on the viewer.

"These are scans taken of John's brain a half an hour ago before things got hairy."

Teyla looked round Ford's shoulder, amazed at what she was seeing. "That, is John's mind?"

Beckett smiled thoughtfully, but that smile soon faded. "What's left of it, yes." This got many a troubling look from the group as Carson continued. "From what I've gathered from Rodney, and the scans I've taken from both him and the Major's head, well…." He began explaining with his hands."The brain's sort of like a battery, in theoryyou need sleep and nourishment to refuel yourself every mornin' and just like a battery it sparks off bits of impulses in order for people to do their necessary functions."

"_I knew I should changed my Duracells today." _John quipped.

"Well those impulses, are different for everyone. Kind of like the brain's calling card, each signature is unique. Your pulse Dr. Weir would be completely different than say Aiden's here."

"So when you took a scan of the John's brain" Elizabeth began.

"No impulse what so ever. Not even a readable blip." Beckett replied sadly, but then picked up excitedly. "But!" He quickly pulled the X-ray's off the viewershuting off and dragging up a long sheet of white paper depicting a graph. "Instead of the dark whites and grays of Sheppard's mind, this one was full of color and activity. When we sent Rodney in for a EEGah, an Electroencephalogram.Not only did we pick up his impulse, but another as well." Carson licked his lips, pointing at the different color levels.

"These spikes here." Beckett pulled on the white sheet of paper to a new section of the graph with greater pitching andzigzagging lines. "These are you Rodney."

McKay leaned in, smiling thoughtfully. "Well at least I'm consistent."

"Now notice these spikes down here in blue, running just under yours." Carson now motioned to second faint line that ran below McKay's. "I asked you a few rudimentary physics questions, remember that?"

"Yeah theories I mastered when I was five." Rodney replied proudly.

"_Well la-dee-da for you, now let the man finish." _Threatened Sheppard between Rodney's ears, making the physicist's ego sink back down.

"When you were recalling those, your pulses peaked, here, here, and here. Now remember when I asked you aboutafterwards...about Football statistics." Beckett got a look then from Weir, he grinned softly and explained himself. "Well, I needed a subject the Major knew more then Dr. McKay, was the first thing I thought of."

"Anyway….now notice how the bottom blue line spikes at those points. I mean, Rodney even replied with the right answers."

Ford gave the physicist a funny look, McKay shrugged. "I don't know, _some_ people just have the time to keep track of who scored the winning field-goal in whatever Super bowl. " His hand waved submissively, before it flinched at him. Rodney looked at his own hand, staring at it with a peculiar sort of surprise, before shoving it in his pocket.

"I had the EEG programmed to scan and mark any other impulse wave coming from his mind, in a different color. And that line" Beckett stood back, crossing his arms triumphantly. "is the Major. That's his signature."

John, through McKay glanced down at his line, seeing a light blue twitch on the paper every few measures. "_Kind of a pathetic line don't you think?" _

Rodney nodded, seemingly to himself. "John thinks his line is a bit pathetic. I happen to agree with him."

"_You piece of"_

"On the contrary." Beckett replied slowly, holding up a finger and pulling another length of paper onto the table. "I just took these readings a few minutes ago."

Weir looked the sheet over, noticing the obvious darkening of Sheppard's supposed impulse. The line seemed to be shifting itself slowly up the chart. "It's moving."

"Exactly." Beckett nodded. "In the lastfourhours, John's wave has moved up a half an inch. I know it doesn't seem like a lot, but….that's a considerable change when dealing with brain waves. The real improvement has been made in the strength of the pulses sent out by his mind, they've doubled themselves in half the time."

"_Now that's a Sheppard line."_ John said proudly. Even if he was trapped, at least he was making some difference, somewhere.

Ford took a step in, glancing at the readout that might as well had been written in Chinese. "Way-to-go Major Sheppard. So what you're saying is as time goes on the Major's brain, wave-thing is gonna get stronger and what?" He stared at the doctor then, finding Carson at the moment, at a loss for words.

"And…."Beckett began carefully, hesitant to say what was really on his mind. But the realization came to McKay all too quickly for Carson to even bother. The physicist who had been staring blankly at the readout, watching the Major's line creeping upwards and chewing on the second knuckle of his pointer finger suddenly went flushed.

"And surpass my own." McKay finished, his voice sounding washed out. Carson looked to him, raising a hand with a cajoling tone.

"Rodney now I'm not sayin' that." But Rodney wouldn't hear it, he instead glanced to the small group gathered around him, even Teyla was giving him a sympathetic look. And John, at the moment was completely silent. He began to feel weak, tired and worst of all, hungry.

McKay winced and replied with nothing, instead digging his other hand into the pocket of his jacket, and pulling out one of those energy bars that always seemed to travel with him.

"How can that even be possible Carson?" Weir turned her attention back to the doctor as Rodney nosily fumbled with the wrapper.

"Well, I haven't really figured that out yet, and it's a _remote_ possibility if anythin'." Carson cleared his throat, this next part was going to be hard. "We've got bigger problems. While John's conscious has in essence been hardwired into Rodney's, his body had been steadily breaking down."

McKay finally tore open the bar's wrapper and bit off the corner, chewing complacently. He began to feel better already.

As soon as the taste of the energy bar hit McKay's tongue, the Major sparked up. _"Oh,Oh...UHHHH!__ Is that what those things taste like?"_ John snarled, sounding completely disgusted. "_How in the hell can you eat those!" _

McKay frowned, looking the bar over defensively. "Look, I'm upset, and I'm not feeling well at all. And they're not _that_ bad thank you very much." This received a few odd glances from everyone. It was well known now, at least to them that John might be held up in his head, but the fact that Rodney conversed with the Major aloud and without warning was hard to get used to. Rodney took another bite then, ignoring the crazy looks.

John fumed. _"Would you knock that off! I don't care. . .putting that crap in you is not going to make you feel any better."_ He sounded as if this was some form of torture._ "Eat some fruit or something for the love of" _

Rodney's face then lightened, as he bit off a chunk of the bar. Now this, was getting interesting.

"_I am going, to get you. . . .Man it's like licking the bottom of a shoe!"_ Sheppard moaned painfully, the taste welling up in his senses, at least, in McKay's senses.

Ford noticed what looked like some inner conflict sweeping across the physicist's face for a moment which was then replaced by a devilish smile. "Everything alright Dr. McKay?"

He glanced to the young lieutenant "Huh? Oh yeah, everything's just fine." Grinning, Rodney pulled the wrapper down further and took another large bite, chewing vindictively. Served John right anyway.

_"Pain McKay, and lots of it."_ Growled John. At that moment, McKay felt his stomach pop violently making him wince from the discomfort. It melted away then as quickly as it came about and Rodney chalked it up then as indigestion, but strangely enough he was suddenly feeling very agitated. He heard the faint drulling tone of a Scottish doctor in the back of his mind and came back to reality, catching that last of Beckett's explanation.

"…..whatever that alien device did to them with the rate of decomposition, it might not seem bad now, butbottom-line is in three weeks time, there won't be much of Sheppard for him to go back to."

"_Well if that ain't a bullet in the belly." _

McKay gulped the last piece of his bar which snagged its way down to his stomach most painfully. Everyone seemed to be staring at him again, which he was honestly getting damn sick of by now. So, he put on a straight face, gave a cocky shrug and shoved both hands in his pockets to keep them from seeing how much they were shaking. "Well, guess I've got my work cut out for me."

* * *

A week came and went like it were a day. Weir placed the team on hiatus until further notice, meaning until McKay and his colloquies came up with something congruent. Some sort on answer to a not even fully formed question. Perhaps that was what Rodney hated the most; more then one lingering problem with no real solution because, in truth he didn't know why it happened in the first place. Or perhaps it was the fact that for an entire week he had been playing host to man who was otherwise quite good company but since he was in fact trapped in McKay's mind, was going completely stir crazy. 

Rodney really couldn't blame him. To be locked away somewhere, without use of your body, no real control over anything, for someone as in control as Sheppard it must have been maddening. However, cabin fever aside, it wasn't just John that was being slowly driven nuts, he was doing a fair job of it to the physicist as well. This morning, was none different.

McKay rolled over in his bed, arm draped across hisface as he pulled it across his eyes. He let out a long slow yawn as a hand crept under his shirt to scratch his stomach. What time it was, he didn't really care, nor did he feel like getting out of bed was the best option right now. For the past several days, he'd had very, very minimal sleep and hadbeen waking up praying that the day before was just some horrible dream. Silently he waited….maybe today was the day.

"_Morning sunshine."_ Came the soft and musing voice of the Major.

No, no such luck. Clearing his throat, Rodney put a hand to his cheekand rubbed his face, snuffing his nose clean. There was nothing like thebeautifulsubtitles of the process of waking up in the morning."How long have you been up for?" He asked weakly, voice cracking from disuse.

John fell silent for a moment, calculating the hours. "_About six or so.__ Feels around nine now, it's about time you got up, lazy bum." _

Sitting up in bed, Rodney ran a hand through his hair, feeling like it was in complete shambles. He glanced to his watch. "Close; 9:30." He dropped his hand back on his lap, staring out into the middle of his room, addressing no one and someone at the same time. "You mean to tell me you've just been sitting up there quietly for over three hours now?"

John laughed, at least to McKay it sounded like one. Could have been a scoff for all he knew. It was hard sometimes to tell John's mood without actually seeing his face. And even then, Sheppard kept the theatrics on the back burner most of the time, playing the game of letting out restrained clues about how he felt. _"Well, you were sleeping so peacefully. Besides, you had the defeat of the Wrath dream again.." _John laughed softly, recalling the dream that McKay had drifted in and out of, and today there was finally a conclusion. "_ You__ know the one with you devising the genetic bullet capable of killing a Wraith. Pretty cool stuff. I got a kick out of it." _

Rodney let out a snorted laugh, rubbing a knuckle in his eye to get the sleep out. "Yeah I always liked that one too. I don't really remember having it last night though." He was still trying to get over the humiliating shock of having John able to play witness to his dreams when they both weren't sleeping. Sheppard described it as something like a weird theater show, all he had to do was sit back and watch. Carson had no real explanation for it, tagging it up to just one of the many side effects of the supposed 'Yu'set' device.

_"Uh-huh. They gave you the Noble Peace Prize and Carter kissed you, how she got to the city so fast to do it, well….let me just say, you've got a very overactive imagination." _

McKay blushed as a goofy smile crossed his face. "What can I say; geniuses like me only come, once…..maybe twice in a lifetime." He chuckled to himself. "Chicks dig the brain."

"_Yeah I'm sure you're beating the women off with a stick McKay." _

"Thanks." He replied flatly, throwing the covers off himself, scooting to the edge of the bed. Noticing then that he had one sock on, one off..."You know what really sucks; the fact that you can peep-show on my dreams and I can't on yours. What's up with that?" He lifted the covers up, searching in vain for his missing apparel before giving up with a mumble.

_"How should I know? I wouldn't say you're missing out on much; don't really dream all that often. Besides I'm a light sleeper, any noise, I'm up. But, the military will do that to you. Trade your dreams in for the right to use any means to survive." _John replied matter-of-factly, thankful that at least now he had Rodney up and moving.

"I never really thought about it that way." From within, Sheppard watch Mckay's eyes drop towards his hands, felt a heavy sigh pass through the man's lungs.

_"Don't sound so sad. Not to knock dreams or anything; but I don't really need them. What I do need is all the rest I can get. I don't know, dreams get in the way at times." _

Hesitating for a moment, McKay asked, surprised in himself that he really wanted to know. "Well alright, when you _do_ dream….what do you dream about?"

John was quiet, which worried Rodney quite a bit, he wondered if perhaps he asked the wrong thing. "Look, I'm prying. . . if you don't. . . " But Sheppard spoke over him then.

_"Sometimes, I dream about the past, like I'm right back there. For some reason the dreams are never really all that good, like I can't seem to relive the nice stuff; you know, touch football games when I was a kid, or my first school dance, time I met that girl in college, Gena…..man that was a great semester." _

_"Back on Earth, dreams consisted of things I missed out on, and here in Atlantis. . . they're about Earth, and the things I'm missing out on. That's what I dream about."_

Taken back, Rodney's mouth hung open slightly before he forced himself to close it. It almost seemed the longer the Major was with him, the more Sheppard became less of a person, and more of an idea, just a voice. And for once in all their short relationship, McKay actually felt like he and John had something in common, that Sheppard wasn't some higher then thou guy….he was just _a guy_. Normal, with fears and anger, dreams and regrets. The borders of brain over brawn was blurring and Rodney felt guilty for all the things he ever said about the man, especially most recently before this whole thing happened.

Realizing he had been self-analyzing to himself again and seemingly ignoring John, McKay stuttered, blinking. "John…I'm, I'm sorry, when we were in the..."Why hadn't he just, struck up a conversation with Sheppard long ago….god was it really that hard for him to do these days, so wrapped up in his job and his work to actually stop and _try_, to get to know someone. That's what Ford had over him, McKay realized….Aiden wasn't selfish, well to the point of making him an enjoyable person.

Feeling he could take no more; meaning he couldn't take anymore of Rodney's feelings of anxiety and doubt mixed with the steady stream of welling remorse….John spoke up on a more cheerful note. _"How about we get some grub. I don't know about you but I could eat a horse. And take a shower for Christ-sake; you're starting to leave a trail." _

"I am not. And how the hell would you know?" Rodney snapped,guilt aside,raising his arm up slightly and giving quick sniff, dropping it back down with a displeased face. Wasn't that bad.

"_Uh, trust me, I know_." John replied bluntly.

"Yeah well it's weird" The physicist slumped forward burring his face in his hands to then quickly whip back up, talking to his empty room. "I mean geez, it's practically like you're _in_ there with me."

The Major let out a short laugh, he couldn't help it. "_Didn't you ever use the locker-room showers in high school? Think of it like that." _

Rolling his eyes, McKay squinted them atan empty corner ashe replied condescendingly. "I didn't even play sports. And no, I had a hard enough time with gym class." This was getting him no where. McKay simply had to face the cold, hard, truth. Sharing his body, was a nuisance...one that would surely end up driving him over the respective edge.Which in that brief moment, reminded him of something.  
"You ever see that episode of the X-files where they're after what they thought was the Fiji Mermaid when really it was the Siamese twin of a sideshow performer?"

John waited a moment, recalling the episode in his mind. He remembered briefly that the monster was a creepy little shit, but what exactly Rodney was making a point of, John had no idea. So, he played along for McKay's sake. "_Yeah?_" Sheppard replied curious.

"And by the end of the show, the thing finally killed his brother by repeatedly extricating itselffrom him so much, that the man drank himself to death." The physicist folded his arms across his chest.

"_Uh-huh_." John coaxed on, still confused.

Rodney frowned. "I think it's time you went back to Fiji Major."

From within, John inhailed…at least that's what it sounded like. One of those long drawn in ones that could only lead to….."_Listen I'm not the one who's insecure about their body here! Come on Rodney, we've got the same damn parts." _He lightened up, trying not to sound too pleading.

"I am not, repeat _not_, having this conversation with you." McKay pointed a finger upwards, warning the ceiling and quickly stood up, feeling a heavy and sudden pressure in his bladder. "Nooooooooooowwwwa." He whined, shifting uncomfortably on his feet, glancing hesitantly towards the back of his quarters.

_"What's wrong?" _

"Oh I just remembered I left a particle destabilizer on in the lab all night…. ." John watched from within as McKay's eyes rolled round his head. Man had a knack for the eye roll, Sheppard was sure of that. "I have to use the goddamn bathroom." Rodney quickly added, trying to wish his needy bladder away.

If the Major was out and about he'd be shaking his head right about then, looking down at his boots and trying not to lay one of his trademark smirks on the suffering physicist. "_You know Skippy, if you keep this up, you're gonna be Atlantis champion at pissing with your eyes closed. I could, push myself to whistling, Beckett says you like that." _

Feeling blood and heat swelling up I his cheeks, McKay flustered out a: "Oh quit it! Put yourself in my shoes for just a second"

"_Technically, McKay….I am in your shoes." _John interjected.

"Well, then you know this isn't exactly what I call an unproblematic situation. We've been sharing the same body for a little over a week now Major and frankly'getting a little tired of it'is an understatement."

He couldn't believe it. With all that was going on, he thought maybe for just a moment, McKay would step away from his own gripes for just one second, and consider someone else's. _"Hasn't even had his coffee and already he's complaining. You really are something McKay you know that! I know this must be real annoying for you having me up here, and I'm sorry, alright! But shit happens, and you deal. Now I don't know how much time I have left, but I know it ain't much. And if this is the last place I'm gonna be before I fade out to the great beyond"_ The words just kinda came out. The first inclination all week that maybe, Johnwas a talking dead man. The very concept, the idea made the Majorshut up just then. It even made McKay settle down, his bladder momentarily forgotten.

"John, don't say that." Rodney pleaded softly. But no matter how he tried to put it, he really wasn't the guy to come to when you wanted some comfort. He never was, and that made him frustraited.

"_I'm being realistic." _Sheppard spoke up after a long and awkward moment. "_I think you can agree with me on viewing problems in a realistic light." _

" Yeah and I usually get a dirty look from you and Teyla." McKay snickered…John though, did not. Sighing, Rodney continued. "Listen not to sound narcissistic, but I about the smartest guy you could be stuck with right now. And we still have plenty of time." The physicist quickly stalked off into the bathroom, waving on the light as he turned towards the sink, gazing in the mirror. "Look I have to be telling the truth, this is the face of sincerity…..besides when am I ever optimistic? That's got to be a good sign."

Thankfully, McKay heard Sheppard laugh, though brief. But soon the lightness faded from the man's voice. "_Whatever motivates you is fine, but you have to except the fact, and I'm not saying it will; but there may come a point when there's no time left. When everything comes down to those last few moments before whatever happens to us happens_."

"What the hell are you saying?" McKay glared at himself, looking deep within his own eyes as if he was staring into John's.

"_That."_ And John did stare right back, slightly enjoying the illusion that he was outside McKay, talking to him instead of in him._"That I'm prepared, no matter what happens, but I'm not all that sure if you are_." He added gravely.

Rodney confronted the mirror. "Prepared for what? You dying? John not to sound insulting or anything, but you're the last person I'd expect to just lay down and take it."

"_I'm not saying that. But I've thought a lot about this. What's going to happen if, if we don't pull through on this? How exactly do you expect this to work Rodney? I can't live the rest of my days up in your head. That's not fair to either of us. I mean it's been a week and we're ready to kill each other. How are we supposed to live a lifetime like this?"_

"I don't know." McKay looked down towards the dull metal sink's basin. He'd been trying to not think about that, the fact that if all else failed, they'd be stuck together for the rest of Rodney's life. A brief and chilling though came to his mind then…what if, years from now, if they were still together, old and grey and Rodney had died but John didn't. If that was even possible, the shear thought of Sheppard having to live out the rest of his days, six feet under and forgotten in a earthy grave was too much. Sheppard couldn't help but feel the shutter pass through McKay's body at that moment….feeling the man's feelings well up inside him.

"_Listen, I didn't want to bring it up, you've got enough on your mind…..no pun intended." _John chuckled, trying to lighten the mood._ "You just concentrate on figuring this mess out, but…..you have to understand, this is just as weird for me too. I mean, I've got absolutely no control over anything that happens out there anymore. Do you know how much that bugs me?"_ He paused then, unsure if what he was about to say, was the right thing to say at all. But, it had beenplaguing Sheppard for sometime now, it was something Rodney needed to know. It was only fair._ "Well I'm sure you do. You'd be surprised that I know a lot more about how you feel then you think I do_."

McKay's head rolled up slowly, he looked into his eyes again as they narrowed. "And you'd be implying what?"

"_You might be able to block out your real feelings on the outside to everybody with all your intellectual jargon and snotty remarks, but it's like a goddamn ocean of them in here McKay, and I swear sometimes I think I'm gonna drown in it_." Sheppard replied, feeling a heavy weight drop in the physicist's stomach. He could feel McKay's hands clench around the basin's rim, his breath becoming tight. This was not going to be pretty, by no means.

"That's not fair. Do you know how……" Rodney fumed. "Do you know how invasive that is!"

"_I can't help it!"_ The Major shot back, trying to defend himself on something he had no control over. _"It's just here, in my face….in a matter of speaking." _This only received a subtle but noticeable twitch from Rodney's left eye._ "And you can't help it either. Just, I don't want you to think that I'm not aware of what you're going through and that you're going through it alone. I just don't take too kindly to being locked up with nothing to do; I mean I can't twiddle my thumbs. I don't even have thumbs McKay!_"

Rodney let out a smallfurious whimper. He flet like he might just be sick, and the Major's musings weren't helping one bit.

"_And so what if you wear your ego and your brain as a shield, who doesn't_?"

Taking a deep and jagged breath, Rodney began slowly, speaking as firm and eloquently as he could muster. "I know that personal space between the two of us, is a bit limited as of late. But bottom-line Major, _stay_ the hell out of my subconscious!" He snarled, pointing at accusing finger at his reflection. "I don't need you. . ._telling_ me what's wrong with me, or how I should be feeling about something and if you really want me to just bite thedamn bullet and suck it up that maybe, just maybe I'm going to _screw up_ and kill us both, then fine! I accept that." The physicist let his hand drop, slapping on the metal sink basin. He breathed heatedly though this nose, trying to calm himself down. He felt so, violated, and even more pissed that the Major was in fact right. Though he'd never admit it.

John waited a moment, watching from within as McKay blinked several times, then shut his eyes up tight, squeezing them as hard as he could. "_You're just cranky cause you're hungry. And man do you look like crap_."

His eyes bolted open, sending a most venomous glare towards his own reflection. "Yeah well I feel……well you should know what I feel like right? And stop changing the subject. You're not allowed to dish out all those personal attacks then change the subject." McKay snapped, feeling more then embarrassed.

"_The dark mistress of the bean is calling you Rody boy….._" Sheppard gently cooed, trying to tease a smile from the physicist.

"Oh please. I'm not _that_ addicted." McKay spun round, hugging himself. He let out a choked laugh, mostly fromfrustration rather then the Major's more then lame joke.

But John continued without mercy. "_You know you want it. I'm surprised you haven't busted a hole in the wall and stalked off to the mess hall, incredible hulk style_."

Rodney's face twisted up as he suppressed a chuckle, instead jamming his tongue into his cheek. One thing he hated, was how Sheppard could one moment make you hate his guts for being so blunt and truthful, then make you forgive him two seconds later when he did something goofy. McKay shook his head, relaxing. Well, whatever was to happen, at least he wasn't alone in it all, even if he was stuck with the oddest man every to grace his life. Aman who apparently could now read him like a book,when Rodney prided himself onnever, ever, lettinganyone do that tohim.Though now trying tolive with said oddity was achallange in its own. Rodney sighed, trying to sound empowered by the whole thing. "I'm going to attempt, to take a shower with my eyes closed."

"_You_ _do that." _John grumbled defeatedly as he and McKay moved towards the back of the bathroom. Maybe one day McKay would get it that he just didn't care about theirdifferences;but today…was not that day. And now he had to deal with another good half hour, hour of boring darkness. _"Don't mind me. I'm just gonna kick back up here and read the newest issue of science freakin weekly." _

* * *

A/N 2.0: Hey just want to thank everyone for the well wishes…feeling much better, knock on wood. Thanks again for the support, luv ya!. And…..next chapter will be up by Tuesday, promise. 


	7. Goa'ulds Have It Easier

A/N: Alright, so I'm a day over my predicted updating date thing…but here it is! This and chapter 6 was meant to be the same chapter but I didn't realize how long it would all be together, this chapter alone is quite lengthy. On a side note….Ironically today, I was watching the X-files on the Sci-fi channel and it so happened to be the sideshow episode, Humbug, that I made the joke about in Chapter 6….how crazy is that? Needless to say I was excited. Anyway, enough of that….enjoy!

**Chapter Seven:** Goa'ulds Have It Easier.

Since the morning started out as a complete disaster: Shampoo in his eye, a sloppy wash-up and not to mention he was sixty-eight percent still damp; Rodney McKay had come to believe that the rest of the day would follow the same shame spiral. With clothes lightly sticking to him, he walked briskly to the mess hall, hoping the wind of his hurried pace would dry the rest of him out. At least he got his hair from sticking in thirty different directions down to just one.

Slipping into the crowded mess hall, McKay kept to the walls, lowering his eyes so he wouldn't catch any of the awkward glances from any of the crew that noticed his arrival. It seemed to him, disclosed word traveled fast and at least every one knew a.) Sheppard was out and out, and b.) something was definitely wrong with the physicist. They just didn't know what; something Rodney was bent on keeping a secret. Though, as the days passed, he was becoming more and more irrational, perhaps it was the stress of it all, high stressful situations being his bane. If he couldn't concentrate, he couldn't be productive and that to Rodney, was worse then death.

But that irrational mind set was causing him to lose his composure, making him act un-accordingly. He could only blame Sheppard really. While Rodney tried to keep their situation a secret, John on more then one occasion had made the physicist confront him aloud. Those occasions becoming more and more frequent. Perhaps, McKay just didn't care any more if he looked crazy to anyone, if he suddenly started talking to a man who wasn't there; like John was some apparition that only he could see.

The only thing Rodney wanted now was a strong cup of coffee, a nice hot breakfast in his empty stomach, and to go the rest of the day without a Sheppard-related incident. Too bad, he remembered with a frown as he crept up behind the crew gathered near the kitchens, that fate was a cruel and contemptuous thing. And John Sheppard being more then enough, was its horseman of apocalypse.

McKay hopped, literally, on the end of the breakfast line, holding his tray firmly, debating the condition of that morning's choices of breakfast. None of which looked truly edible, then again, what did he expect from military cooking. This wasn't some five star restaurant, it was _semi_-well balanced nutrition that seemed to twitch in its metal bins when you weren't looking.

_"Oh it's not that bad, quit being a baby." _The horseman road in, beginning his reign of terror as McKay inched his way finally up to one of the cooks standing behind the glass buffet-like bar, complete with one of those handy-dandy sneeze guards. Quaint, but it wouldn't stop McKay from nit-picking every single item up for grabs today.

Ignoring Sheppard, McKay jammed a finger into the glass, leaving a smudgy finger print as he pointed to a row of plates wrapped up in cellophane. "What is that?" He asked hesitantly.

Glancing down to where the physicist was directing, the young cook looked back up with a pleasant smile, as she replied. "It's a Mediterranean omelet sir."

"Looks more old European to me." McKay smiled, trying to be witty with the young lady though the joke seemed to fall short from the cook's understanding. His frown returned soon after, as he turned his attentions back to the food laid out before him, knitting his brows in contemplation.

"_Smells good to me, get it." _John said lightly, wanting more then anything to get the omlete next to the Mediterranean. It looked insanely appetizing and if Sheppard did have a mouth, it would have been watering by now.

Wrinkling his nose Rodney shook his head."I'm not getting that, it's got bacon in it." He replied to John aloud, not even thinking about the confusion it would create.

The young cook, glanced to the people waiting behind the physicist who seemed to beglaring backimpatiently. "I'm sorry sir, we could maybe make you something without bacon in it." She offered, trying to move McKay along as respectfully as possible.

But John wasn't done arguing. "_I thought you Canucks liked the bacon_?"

"That's ham, and it's complete different." McKay snapped back, making the cook flinch. Rodney looked up, seeing the confusion on the girl's face and gave her an apologetic wince. Clearing his throat, he made up his mind without further delay. "I'll get scrambled eggs, on the moist sideplease don't dry them out, they tend to get stuck in my throat. Wheat toastnot white, light on the butterI swear you guys hose it on. Ah, three sausages…..and, two flapjacks."

"_You want the rest of the cantina to go with that_?" The Major quipped, un-amused.

Suddenly feeling like he was making a pig of himself in front of Sheppard and the female cook for that matter, Rodney's constitution melted away and he quickly corrected himself, embarrassed. "Oneflap jack….and no sausage." She nodded and set to work making up a fresh plate for the physicist, relieved to have the strange ordeal over with.

"_Get oatmeal_." Asked John softly. McKay could in any case let him get one thing for himself, even if technically it was all going in the physicist anyway. At the very least Sheppard could enjoy something _he_ wanted.

"No." McKay replied harshly under his breath, watching the cook preparing a plate for him, silently urging her to go faster so he could get the hell out of there.

But, to Rodney's great annoyance the young cook stopped, still holding the slotted spoon filled with eggs and looked up at him. "Sir?"

Waving a dismissive hand, he chuckled awkwardly. "Oh, no, I was just….uh, thinking about something. Mentaldebate." Lowering his eyes, McKay could only imagine how incredibility weird he must have looked right then.

"_I want oatmeal_." Sheppard's voice upped in tone, contending with McKay.

Rodney rolled his eyes, taking the first plate handed to him rather roughly from the cook. "I don't care if you want it. I personally don't care for oatmeal so….I'm not getting it." He could feel the eyes of judgment on him, if people weren't looking then, they sure as hell were now.

"_McKay…you might control your mouth and your stomach and the rest of your body, but I can be a pretty damn persistent pain in the ass too. Don't test me_."

"Is that it sir?" The young cook carefully handed the last plate over the glass counter to McKay, hoping she had prepared everything the man's extreme specifics. McKay was a legend for sending things back.

"Humm?" Rodney ignored John once more, taking the plate less violently this time, giving the disturbed cook a thankful grin. He had to get out of here, crawl to some dark corner of the mess hall and eat like the schizophrenic monster he had become. There was no amount of damage control, no amount of explaining that could save him now. Besides that, Weir had specifically told him to keep the situation under wraps.

The Major growled, making Rodney's body suddenly tense up. "_McKay……..I'm warning you_."

"Yeah that's it, thank you." McKay gave out a choking laugh, clutching his tray to the metal railing the trays ran along and was about to slide it down and away to safety when suddenly, there was a great inhale from the Major, then singing in his head. Screaming and completely off-key.

"_OOOOOOOOOOOH….MY __BOLOGNA__ HAS A FIRST NAME, IT'S O-S-C-A-R, MY __BOLOGNA__ HAS A SECOND NAME IT'S M-E-Y-E-R, CAUSE OSCAR MEYER HAS __A WAY__ WITH…."_

Sheppard's ballad made the physicist squeeze his eyes shut, trying to tune it out. This display turned the attention back on him as the cook and everyone else, noticed the line wasn't moving anymore. "Dr. McKay, are, are you alright?" She asked cautiously.

_"B-O-L-O-G-N-A…..OOOOOOOOOOOOH MY BOLOGNA HAS A FIRST NAME, IT'S R-O-D-N-E-Y, MY BOLOGNA HAS A SECOND NAME IT'S M-C-K-A-Y…..CAUSE RODNEY MCKAY HAS A WAY TO….P-I-S-U-O-F-F!" "OOOOOOOOH..."_ John crooned over and over again, adding this last stanza with extra emphasis.

"GHA! Alright, alright!" McKay found himself suddenly shouting at the top of lungs to hear himself over the Major. The mess hall suddenly grew deathly quiet. Rodney slunk down into himself, wanting more then anything to melt away in the floor as he gave wayward glances to the cook. "I'd like a bowl of oatmeal too." He panted, thankful that the singing had stopped.

"_Pssst__….get raisins in it_." Sheppard whispered.

One of Rodney's eyes twitched as he tried to compose himself, clearing his throat and speaking as pleasantly as he could to the cook. "With raisins please."

The young female solider nodded slowly, a look of pure fear on her face as she grasped for a bowl and filled it, handing it timidly to the physicist. He took it, carefully, straighten himself out by standing tall, and placed it on the tray. With a dignified nod he picked up his breakfast, and slowly turned to then scamper off into the busy mess hall. A spontaneous roof collapse right on top of him couldn't come at a better time. But, sadly….it didn't.

McKay ducked his head down, and shuffled along the rows of long tables, glancing up periodically for an empty seat somewhere far, far away from anything with two cents to rub together about him. He spotted Ford, thankful to find a familiar face who at least knew his plight. Quickly he whipped round the table and walked up to the opposite sideof where Aiden was experimentally forking his hash browns.

"Ford, you're looking well today." McKay spoke up pleasantly, setting his tray down and exhaustingly plopping down right after it. He looked up atthe young lieutenant as he ripped open the tab on his coffee cup and took a long burning swig.

"About average. How are you and the Major?" Ford asked, watching Rodneymake a pleasurable wince as he lowered his cup. Aiden hadn't seen the physicist in the flesh for the past few days, wondering how he was holding up, having Sheppard as a enforced roommate.

"Peachy." McKay replied sourly, picking up his fork and waving it about as he spoke. "You ever have those days where you want to take a thousand pencils, shove their backs in a sheet of drywall, and then run yourself into it. Repeatedly if possible?"

Ford chuckled lightly. "Can't say I have." As he shoveled a mix of eggs and browns in his mouth, chewing thoughtfully.

Reaching across the table, Rodney wrapped his fingers around the salt shaker and brought it over his plate, sprinkling his eggs as he continued. "Well let me tell you something lieutenant…not eventhedevilcould inspire you enough to do it. No, a demise like that takes a special kind of manipulation. One only I think the military can provide." He paused in his salting, looking off and nodding as he agreed with himself.

"_Glad I could be of service and I wouldn't stop a pencils Skippy, trust me.."_ Sheppard threatened with a smile in his voice as he watched Rodney's hand continually tap up and down, shaker still in hand.

"_Some eggs with your salt McKay?" _

Slamming the salt shaker down, McKay held his fork upright towards his face, shouting. "That's it….If you don't shut up in the next two seconds I'm going to shove this fork so far up my nose I'll strike brainand I will find you!" He snarled.

"Major's wear'n you thin?" Ford asked gently, his mouth packed with toast. He did feel bad for the physicist. John was a great guy, Aiden could admit that, but being stuck with the man on a twenty-four hour basis for how ever many days it had been now was a challenge even he couldn't see himself doing.

"Gee, how did you guess?" Rodney snapped instinctively, regretting it afterwards. It wasn't Ford's fault. "I'm sorry. It's just….it's like Jimmy Norbal breathing down my neck again." Mememories flooded back in to the physicist's mind, painful, ridiculous memories that had no place being there at the time except to compare to the implausible situation he was living.

"Jimmy Norbal?" Aiden asked, generally interested as always.

McKay let go a small shutter, recalling his youth. "Yeah. High school bully. Use to rub my face in his armpit then shove me into my locker if I didn't give him my chemistry notes."

Ford sat back, tensing up like the eggs in his mouth had suddenly just turned rancid. "Oh man that's just wrong!" He dropped his fork, shaking his head in distain. "You mean he actually, stuck your head…" Aiden couldn't even finish the thought, opting to mimic it on himself; lifting his arm and making the motion.

Nodding, McKay went on. "Mmm….He never really used deodorant either. Point is Ford, may you never know the traumatizing power of a toilet-swirly."

"Man." Aiden sighed, feeling his appetite slowly come back to him. What he couldn't tell the physicist was that he and a few buds back at the military academy had more then accumulated their swirlies with the younger, easily lift-ablecadets.

Rodney continued, looking out into the mess hall dramatically. "I still have nightmares about it, in fact I'm living in one right now. Except, usually I'm naked and asked to recite the laws of quantum physics to which I've completely forgotten at that moment. Yet somehowthis seems worse." His eyes fell back on Ford who was laughing softly.

"_Oh please."_ John chimed up suddenly. He could only stand McKay's complaining when there was a logical reason for it. Most of the time, the physicist's best ideas came out of him going off about something. But Sheppard knew perfectly well, Rodney had no reason for it this time…..factoring in something the Major wasn't sure why he knew,but hejust did. _"Look where all those purple-nurples got you. You're leading a historical cross-galaxy mission and old Jimmy is a custodian at the same high school it took him like, eight years to graduate from. I think came out on top." _Though after he said it, Johnfroze up, feeling the oncoming can-of-worms he just opened.

Rodney stopped his melodramatic prose and turned his eyes up to the mess hall ceiling, speaking halfly to it then back down at the table. " Well someone up there must like meyou waited a whole what, four minutes to comment about something….I'm so proud of you" The words though cut short as Rodney suddenly replayed what Sheppard had _actually_ said just a second before. "wait, how did you know Norbal's main joy in life now is pushing brooms? I've never told anyone about that."

John was greeted then by another on-slot of memories, one in particular of McKay giving a lecture at his old high school and passing Norbal on the way to the auditorium, the once mighty juggernaut of a boy was now just a bent back and balding shell of his former self. "_Ah…well. You remember how I can kinda read off your feelings…" _

Rodney dropped his forkbouncing it off the plate, but at that point he didn't much care as he began openly accusing the empty seat next to Aiden, as if Sheppard were sitting there. "Areare you snooping in onmy memories!"

"Can he do that?" Ford watched the half-aloud debate between McKay and an empty chair with a slight amusement. He went so far as to glance to his right at the thin air. Aiden had to admit, most of the time he rooted for his commanding officer, but having someone be able to practically read your mind was not cool at all.

"Evidently." Rodney mumbled, snatching up his fork and violently stabbing at his pancake pretending it was the Major.

Sheppard sighed in frustration. There just seemed no way to make the physicist understand it wasn't his fault. "_McKay I wasn't snooping. They just, pop up when you remember them, I can't help but see it too. It must have something to do with my mind's wave whatevers getting stronger." _

"Well I can't read your thoughts!" McKay barked, making the people eating around him jump slightly and turn around to see what all the commotion was about. Rodney sent whoever he made eye contact with, an evil glare before slinking down in his seat. Great, he'd done it again.

_"Theoretically, you are." _

Clenching his lips tightly together, McKay held back the things he really wanted to say, though at this point Sheppard was more likely to just _read_ them off him regardless. He pointed his fork up towards the ceiling once more, proclaiming. "Uh, you invaded my private memories, I don't think technicalities are the issue here. Quit peeking over my shoulder!"

Ford looked around, taking note to just how many people were watching Rodney's display of insanity and suddenly feeling sorry for him. He didn't want to add to the physicist's sense of exile by all the 'normal' people in the city, but even the young lieutenant was starting to feel weirded-out. He had a hard time being around McKay now, a lot of people did just naturally, but now….there was a blaring reason other then the man's complete lack of social ability. And for this Ford felt guilty, but, he just had to get away from him…them.

Inwardly, John continued the debate, trying to reason with his host. "_And I just told you I can't help it. You think so many random thoughts in one minute then the average man thinks in an hour. So really, you should stop over-analyzing everything."_

McKay at first coughed on his words, finding the Major's reasoning to be completely ridiculous. He was so bent on making his point, neither Rodney nor Sheppard noticed how uncomfortable Ford was getting in his seat. "Over-analyzeIf you didn't notice, John, _that's my job_!" McKay exclaimed.

Aiden, had enough. He lifted a thumb behind him, much like he had early that week back in the temple, taking hold of his unfinished breakfast with the other hand. "I'm ah….gonna go. See you laterguys." McKay shut up then, watching the lieutenant leave with a small wave before he could tell him to stay or even more so to apologize.

"_See! You drove Ford off; again! He's not going to want to hang out with us anymore if you keep this up." _John whined considerably, trying to make the physicist feel ashamed.

"Us!" Rodney shouted, quickly forgetting Aiden as he was whipped back to their fight. "If you hadn't noticed…" He then dropped his voice, realizing how many people were staring at him. McKay dropped his eyes and lowered his head, digging at his now chilled breakfast as he mumbled to his plate. "If you hadn't noticed Major this little predicament we're in is primarily who's fault? Oh yes….YOURS!" Rodney snarled through clenched teeth, though the sound traveled to the other tables around him quite easily.

Sheppard thought then if he could just get up and leave, most of this fighting, the embarrassment he was now feeling welling up in McKay never would have happened. It was easy before, when the two men had enough of each other, one would just concede and go. But now, such a simple gesture was impossible, making their as Rodney called it 'predicament' all the more difficult.

The Major decided to concede the only way he could now and lowered his tone to a more pleading and understanding one. "_Just eat your breakfast, you're scaring people_. _Oh, and oatmeal next, before it gets all crusty_."

About to rebut, Rodney realized that the man was right, he was even beginning to scare himself. So, swallowing his pride, McKay managed to swallow down his food, finding it bland and unsatisfying as he slid a blind hand for the bowl of raisin filled glory.

* * *

That day, and the next two after that replayed about just the same except for the fact that as the days drew closer to Sheppard's 'due' date, the Major grew quieter, less abrasive and more cooperative. In fact, to McKay's great surprise, John would go silent for long spells of time. Rodney was thankful for the chance to think clearly on solving their problem, but it also worried him quite a bit. 

John wasn't one for not putting in his opinion about things, one of the characteristics Rodney liked most about him. It was all the verbal battles they had, since he finally had someone equal to him; at least in arguing capacity. Perhaps the Major wasn't as smart as him, but he sure could hold his own in a McKay onslaught.

But now, for the past three days, bringing them to the middle of the final week, John had become nearly absent from Rodney's day. The physicist, on breaks from his round the clock research in the labs went down to the infirmary, Beckett's orders, to have himself and Sheppard checked up on. Though these days Rodney had a hard time doing it since John's body was undeniably breaking down; covered in lesions and bruises now over forty-five percent of his body. They kept Sheppard's bodyunder a plastic tent, to keep his skin from getting further infected, and the sight of him was just plain horrible.

So, Rodney and Carson, did their best to keep away from that section of the infirmary, favoring running tests and scans on the opposite side of the room. McKay felt in someway, that John was thankful for that.

As Beckett expected, McKay's EEGs were changing drastically everyday now. Thus putting more unwanted stress on a already stressful situation. McKay often left the area more depressed then when he'd came in. But he had to wear his stone and unfazed face when back in the lab. He'd been running his selected team of scientists into the ground along with himself. They'd been up to all hours of the night, working restlessly on different theories, scenarios, anything that directly compared to the experience McKay had now described a million times. But with every ray of light, every possible answer, there came the brick wall of defeat. A calculation didn't fit or, the energy output wasn't enough of a comparison.

For all the equipment both known and unknown to Rodney and his staff, nothing seemed to help. He needed that machine back on the planet. McKay knew that, hell even the Major knew that. But what could you accomplish with your hands tied behind your back?

There was only one man who could do something, Rodney thought sadly as he made his way back to the labs early afternoon on the fifth day, after another depressing visit to the infirmary. One man and he….didn't even seem to be there anymore. McKay knew he was, becausesomehow he could feel him there, almost standing next to him all the time, moving as he moved, breathing as he breathed. But Sheppard was almost becoming like his shadow, and though he hated to admit it…Rodney missed John's constant commentary, ridicule, but mostly; his presence.

McKay was about to round the corner to the corridor his lab was located on when he heard a whispered conversation. What really stopped him dead in his tracks was the mention of his own name. The physicist stepped carefully up to the edge of the corner, peeking round to see the back of his most unfavorable person, his ridiculous pony tail hanging limply on his neck, conniving and vindictive voice filling the hallway. Kavanagh was speaking to one of McKay's lab assistance a young man Rodney thought was named…Englewich….wad…worth, whatever he was bad with names. It didn't matter, what did matter was what he was now overhearing coming straight out of Kavanagh's mouth.

"Did you know he didn't even mention my name to be on his precious research team?" He snarled, waving a convicting hand towards the lab assistant. "Well, it's not like they're ever going to find a thing here that's going to even relate to the device McKay's been bantering about."

Kavanagh whispered harshly. "I bet it doesn't even exist, I bet he made the whole damn thing up because they did something down there on that planet. Something got screwed up. Besides, it's not like Sheppard lost anything more then what wasn't up there already." He laughed….making McKay's stomach turn.

Rodney leaned in further, fingers gripping so hard into the wall he thought he might just bust them right through the metal. And thenwhat Kavanagh said next made the physicist see red, pure red.

Licking his lips, Kavanagh smiled viciously. Commenting as if it were something so light and meaningless. "Doesn't matter, they've got a week and a half left? Might as well just get it over with, right? There's enough meat-heads around here, to replace him. I mean come on, I'll even pull the plug myself."

Suddenly, Rodney felt something take over, he began moving round the corner against his will, stalking up behind Kavanagh and standing there, seeming to loom though the other scientist was well over his height. The lab assistant's eyes went wide, looking at the face just beyond Kavanagh's shoulder.

Without further thought, McKay raised his hand, lightly tapping Kavanagh on the back with a more then up beat. "Excuse me."

Rolling his eyes at being interrupted, Kavanagh turned round glancing down. "Yeah, what?" The rest of his sentence was cut short as he turned round, McKay found himself pulling an arm back like a drawn bow string, fist clenched so tightly that when it flew back, it struck Kavanagh right across the jaw, making the scientist spin back round. His glasses flew off onto the floor where they were soon met by the resttheir ownerin a crumpled and unconscious heap.

The lab assistant, Engle….what's-his-face mumbled a shocked sentence, though Rodney couldn't hear it through the blood pounding in his ears, and took off towards the lab to get some help.

As quickly as the madness came about it melted away. Rodney stood, flabbergasted at the sight of Kavanagh sprawled out on the ground. McKay raised the offending hand, looking at it as if it wasn't his own.

Several scientists flooded the hallway, gasping and commenting. Rodney looked up at the huddled group in surprise. His face pale, hand still up in front of him. "II—I" He manage to stutter.

"Dr. McKay…what did you do?" One female scientist spoke up, looking equally astonished.

"II" He repeated like a broken record, waving his aching hand in the air at them. "IDIDN'T DO IT!"

And then, deep within Rodney's head, after more then three days of complete silence he finally made a peep. Save it was more of a devilish laugh. "_Now thatfelt so good." _

* * *

"_Heh-heh-heh__"_ John let out a villainous snicker as he and McKay found themselves _back_, in the infirmary. Rodney was slumped on a cot, holding his inflamed hand and gently rubbing it. All the while he was shaking his head in total and rightfully deserved disgust.

"Well I hope you're pleased with yourself." He reprimanded softly, believing that thered color of his injured hand would never go away.

John laughed again, this time sounding more genuine. _"Eh. I would have preferred Kavanagh wizzing in his shorts. But I'll deal. Come on, don't tell me somewhere deep down that didn't feel pretty damn satisfying." _

Just then, arm slung around the shoulder of Englewhatever, Kavanagh passed by, his eyes turning towards where McKay sat.

Without thought, Rodney's injured hand suddenly rose up and wiggled its fingers to the scientist._"Boo." _Sheppard teased from within.

Kavanagh's eyes went wide through his crooked glasses as he screamed. "KkeepKeep him away from me!" A hand clamped around his swollen jaw as he was dragged away.

McKay watched the offending hand with shock and quickly snatched at his wrist, slamming his right hand to the bed and pinning it down with the other, where it proceeded to struggle back up against him.

"Knock it off!" Rodney shouted at it. His right hand relaxed then and he released it, testing his own control of it with a few shakes and finger squeezes. The pain returned in a wave making McKay regret moving it so much.  
"You didn't have to hit him." He muttered then, fully aware now that this was all Sheppard's doing.

And to this John if not openly, admitted doing so. Replying with a defending. _"After what he said about us?__ Guy had it coming." _

"Yes John but not when you're using _my_ body to do it. I have to work closely with those people on a daily basis, you don't. Now they all think I'm a nut-job." McKay contested.

_"Nah McKay, they already knew you were nutsnow they know you're violently insane." _

"Oh, goody for me, A promotion in rank. I REALLY APRECIATE THAT!" Rodney screamed, causing Kavanagh across the room, to groan with fear, a nurse trying to keep him from fleeing the bed.

Rodney watch as she settled the scientist back down with a sigh. For a few moments there was a blissful stretch of silence. He couldn't believe he actually missed this crap. The physicist then saw Carson come flying into the room, called from wherever he was before because of the little 'incident' John had caused. He took one look at Kavanagh, then a brief and reproachful one at McKay, making the man feel horrible for something he didn't even do.

"_Did you see the look on old Kav's face before you decked him?" _The Major chimed in.

Rodney paused his massaging to raise a finger of his good hand to no one. "Correction, before _you_ decked him." He went on then again rubbingwith his injury, a small smile spreading across his face. "Andyes, it was priceless. He hit the ground like a sack of hammers. I don't think he knew what hit him."

Sheppard cooed knowingly. "_See, you liked. I knew you did. You knocked him into next Tuesday, did you see the lift on his glasses? Man those things flew!"_ He said through a steady stream of laughter.

A snort shot through McKay and burst from his mouth to which he clapped his good hand on, trying to muffle his laugh. He did have to admit it really was quite hilarious how quickly Kavenaugh went down. Rodney calmed himselfto reply matter-of-factly.  
"Well…he did, essentially call me stupid. Not to mention that 'plug' comment." "And…he did threaten Liz that one time, plus being a general pustule on the face of humanity I suppose if you really think about it……we did him a favor." His smile broadened.

_"I'm the best of the meat-head clan around here, I don't know what the hell he's talking about." _

Just then a very, very angry Scottish doctor walked up, tossing an ice pack at McKay. Theimpactmade the physicist yelp as he took the pack and placed it on his hand, trying to ignore Beckett's death glare. "So Rodney….you mind lettin' me in on why I shouldn't restrain you? What where you thinkin' layin' him out like that?"

"_He's a dickwad, that's why." _John interjected.

Rodney though, decided to be a bit less abrasive in his reply then Sheppard. "Being the marvel Kavanagh is, he made a few, colorful comments about me and the MajorJohn decided to make it clear he didn't like them." McKay then turned his head to the side, so that Beckett knew he was speaking to John and not him. "Which brings me to an important point….why are you able to control my arm?"

The Major was quiet for a second, recalling the moments up to the altercation. _"I don't know….I heard what Kavanagh was saying about you and me ,and it pissed me off. I just, acted like I would have. I guess I really wanted to punch him, so I imagined doing it." _

Beckett's temper cooled quickly, beginning to understand that perhaps it wasn't McKay doing the action, but John working through him. Carson's face drew very serious, believing his previous fears were becoming reality. Nodding, he replied shortly to both men, in a sense.  
"I think it's time for another scan."

* * *

Night came without further incident to which Weir was more then thankful for as she made her way towards the infirmary, stopping in the doorway to see the area quiet and dark, a small light was lit on Beckett's desk where the doctor was currently sitting; looking over some sort of documents.

"I've just managed to overt Rodney getting lynched by half the research team." Elizabeth said as she walked up to Carson's desk, standing in front of it as she crossed her arms to her chest, less then pleased. "Where is he?"

Beckett looked up at her, nodding his head to the left. "They're..." Carson corrected. "…on the balcony. And I think that's the furthest thing on his mind right now Dr. Weir." Carson replied sadly, still holding the documents as he stood up and came round the desk, leaning on the edge. He plopped the papers back down on the desk and ran a hand through his rustled hair.

Sensing the man's worry, Weir lightened her tone. "What's wrong? Is it John?" She looked then across the room to the foggy plastic tent that was covering Sheppard's upper half, she could barely see the red stained bandages that covered up his face.

Beckett sighed, replying softly. "Yes actually. While you were defusing Kavanagh, I ran several EEG scans on McKay's brain over the pass few hours." He leaned sideways, tiredly grazing his fingers over a long printed read-out on his desk, drawing it up and handing the paper to Elizabeth. "Seems John's wave has by now, slipped up to a few inches away from Rodney's. The Major is beginnin' to gain control momentarily over his body and in a few days time….well."

Weir looked the lines over, seeing the blue pitching line that was supposedly Sheppard's was now a thick dark one, only a few ticks away from the now lightening grey line of McKay's "So it was John who hit Kavanagh, not Rodney." She asked, trying to comprehend it all.

The doctor nodded as Weir handed the papers back to him."As far as I can tell, yes. You see, John's personality is very strong and survivin' in character on a daily basis. Where as Rodney's a bit more meek when it comes to get up and go. One's a natural born fighter while the other is a natural born thinker. Not that I'm calling Sheppard ignorant…..but his will's a lot stronger then Rodney's in a long shot." Carson cleared his throat, talking softer so as only Elizabeth would hear the next parts. "Theoretically, since this whole thing started both brain waves have been battling over the same space, dominance over the host, McKay's body."

"And John's winning." The realization hit Weir like a stone.

_"_Looks so." Beckett looked to her with darkening expression.

She glanced off then to the row of doors leading out to the balcony, wondering if she should perhaps go and have a talk withRodney but then decidedagainst it perhaps he needed his time alone right now. Her eyes then fell to John's comatose body, or what was left of it. "Is there anything we can do?"

Hugging himself lightly, Beckett conjectured. "I've heard of repressin' multiple personalities with drugs and therapy, but the Major isn't just somethin' up in Rodney's head. He's playin' survival of the fittest completely in his nature, beyond his control. Soon, John's not goin' to be the one trapped anymore…..it'll be McKay instead."

Hearing this, Elizabeth turned her sights back to the doctor. "I'll try to get a communication going with the A'vokien government with the address Dran left us."

Carson raised a hand, motioning for her to wait, interjecting in all seriousness. "Elizabeth…what I'm saying is….in a few days time. It's not goin' to matter whether or not the A'voks give us the green light. The deterioration rate of John's body is increasing every day and even if Rodney does figure something out before he's lost control of himself, I don't think John could survive being back in his own body, even now."

Weir looked at him with a startled fear she contained in a frown. At a lost for words she tightened her jaw, fully resolved. "I have to try something doctor. For both their sakes."

Out on the balcony thewind blew shrilly, breaking the cool pleasant air for brief chilled moments. McKay proceeded to zip his jacket up, bearing the cold with a scowl. He'd been out there for some time now, at least an hour or two, enough to see the sun set. The ache in his hand had long dulled to an itching tingle as Rodney easily gripped the balcony's metal railing. This latest development had been the straw to break the physicist's back, so to speak. What was the point of him figuring out a way to separate him and John, if Sheppard couldn't even live in his own body anymore. And now it seemed Rodney was being even further punished for his failure by the threat of him being doomed to the same fate as the Major, except reverse. Trapped like a prisoner in his own body for the rest of his life.

"_You're not a failure_." Sheppard said sternly.

"What did we talk about? Humm? About the reading of thethoughts?"

"_Sorry_."

McKay clucked his tongue, he knew deep down John wasn't doing it on purpose. "Oh, it's not your fault John, well actually for the initial incident, yeah it is all your fault but for this…… I'm the weak one apparently." Rodney bent down then, taking a seat and dangling his legs off the side of the balcony, resting his forehead on the cool metal of the railing with a sigh. "I suppose, things can't get much worse can they? I mean, your body's going to be a puddle of scabby ooze in a few daysand you'll have mine to putter about in." He felt bad about saying it to John like that, but McKay at that point couldn't help but be bitter.

_"Not much of a trade in."_ Sheppard joked; at that point, he couldn't help doing that instead.

"Thanks." McKay let out a shaken laugh. "I'm being kicked out of my own body and….I really do appreciate your humor now. God I'm going to miss being me." He shut his eyes as the wind picked up, the crash of waves below were almost hypnotizing.

After a moment, the Major spoke up, talking fondly. "_You know what I miss. Other then eating and breathing and my own body of course. The moon…I miss being able to look up in the sky on the right nights and see the moon there."_ He sighed._ "The sky's so black here." _

"Yeah." Rodney agreed looking up to the dark ocean sky, splattered with unknown and foreign stars. "You know what I missmallomars and watching MST3k." He said honestly, smiling after a moment as he played with the zipper on his jacket's side pocket, zipping it up and down, enjoying the sound. He realized then that it was a very Sheppard thing to do. And so he stopped.

"_Didn't they cancel that show?" _The Major apparently hadn't noticed the zipper thing and continued on with the conversation.

McKay nodded laying back on the balcony so they could both stare up at the sky….his head was beginning to hurt again. "Yeah, but sometimes they run episodes of it early Saturday morning on that Sci-fi channel."

"_Ah yes. Good channel, good show." _John replied softly. At a loss for words.

"Yeah, yeah it was." McKay agreed, deciding to go off on his own little tangent of self-pitying memories, forcefully dragging John along for the ride. "And I miss spending weekends in Toronto. There's this one little mom and pop grocery store I'd go into every morning. I use to think the girl at the register had a thing for me; she'd give me her discount sometimes." Rodney recalled warmheartedly.

Sheppard gave a fake growl. _"Oh you animal."_

Amused, McKay shook his head, sobering after a moment. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. It would have been nice to go there one more time."

"_You know…now that I think about it. Maybe I did jinx myself." _Major admitted after a lengthy moment. The subject causing the physicist to suddenly flinch.

"You're such and jackass you know that! I told you not to touch that damn machine but you had to be all high and mighty leader and now……sorry, sorry." He let out a long drawn-out breath, shutting his eyes and taking on a more appropriate tone. "I suppose there's no point in beating the subject to death when we're in the same boat anyway."

"_I miss my boat." _

"You had a boat?" McKay cracked one eye open, looking about.

"_Yeah, took it sailing all the time when I had leave, well before I got shipped out to the frozen asshole of the earth." _Sheppard really did love the thing. Best investment he ever made, and about the only one he didn't regret. He remembered going days and days sailing from port to port, getting quite good at surviving out in the middle of the ocean fairly quickly. If there was ever the perfect place to escape, the sea was it.

"Did it have a name? Your boat I mean." McKay asked after a while, wondering just then why Sheppard had suddenly stopped talking. He figured the man was thinking on something and felt a bit bad interrupting. But John seemed happy to go on about it.

_"Avius Filiusitsit...it's Latin for…"_

"Wandering Son." McKay replied quickly with the translation as it popped into his head.

Sheppard laughed. "_Very good.__ I uh, named it because of something my mom once said to me." _As the Major spoke, his words sounded loving, far more gentler then Rodney had ever heard him speak as a deep feeling of longing swelled up in the physicist's heart. McKay didn't really know that much about John's family but from the way he was feeling right now John must have missed her greatly. _"She said "Johnny, sometimes I don't think you belong here. You always seem to be somewhere else, even when you're right here. I'll never tell you not to go, wherever it is you go….but just…don't wander off too far._"

"That's sweet." Rodney smiled, though suddenly that fond feeling was replaced by something his own mother said to him. He replied dejectedly. "On the other hand, my mom once told me that if I didn't succeed in anything not to worry, because her and my father were still young enough to try again to get it right." The physicist frowned deeply, for a moment focused on his own miserable childhood. "She was always the encouraging one." Just then he realized what he had done, wincing. "Sorrysorry, I didn't mean to ruin your fuzzy nostalgic moment."

"_Hey, quit apologizing…._" Sheppard replied, disregarding it as McKay being McKay. But soon after Rodney spoke up, interrupting him.

"John?"

"_Yeah_?"

McKay pulled himself up with a grunt, looking back out into the ocean. He wasn't one for waiting around, he knew John wasn't either but the overwhelming feeling of failure wouldn't leave him alone. And if anyone knew what to do, well John was always the one to go to for strategic situations. Things were so out of control now. "What are we supposed to do?" "I mean, the guys in the lab are running on fumes and all the comparable devices aren't comparable enough. AmI supposed to just, sit back in the infirmary and watch you turn to goo before kissing my physical reality good-bye?" He laughed bitterly. It figured…put the smartest man and the strongest man together and you get…..zip.

"_Well, I wasn't going to suggest it._" John snickered. "_See I figured with you in here, I could finally make some sense out of War and Peace." _

Rubbing a hand over his face, Rodney let out a low, frustraited growlin his palm, snorting the air. With all the things happening, all thelooming doom in the horizon, he was surprisingly calm. "I have to admit though we're taking this awfully well." He felt proud, perhaps some of John's survival skills were finally rubbing off on him.

_"Sorry to break this to you Skip, but the only reason you're taking this so well is because I'm taking this so well. My sensibilities are overwriting yours, according to Beckett, that being the more watered down version of what he said."_ Sheppard responded bluntly. _"I'm clam, ergo…you're calm." _

"So this is what it feels like to have proper stress management." The physicist nodded, impressed. "It's…not so bad"

"_Yeah, you get good enough at it and a catastrophe comes along….pfft….piece of cake."  
_

They laughed for a while, until both men grew silent. They enjoyed the breeze, the crash of the rough ocean waves against the side of the city even with the occasional kick up of sea spray from below. For the first time in a long time, McKay felt….alive. Though the thought of it did little good for him now. That brief sense of calm faded into the lingering regret that always seemed to float just beneath the surface in the physicist. Failure, in his family meant more then just screwing up, even if the problem was no fault of your own. That nagging sense that, there was nothing he could do to save them both. Perhaps that's what Rodney sought redemption for the most.

"I tried John, I really did." He said then brokenly.

_"I know, hell I was there. I can't blame you since I was a witness to the trying. There was trying." _Though no matter how much the Major joked, Rodney was far from it now.

"If only I could figure out the right mechanics of it. I mean, I've gone over what happened, even factored in all the events of the day even up to that point and nothing works."

_"That's because you're trying to work a miracle out of nothing McKay. You said it yourself, and I humbly agree if we could only get back to that POS in that temple, we'd have a better chance, and maybe it wouldn't be too late." "I still say we could take a Jumper, go in covert and get in and out before Dran and the rest of his asinine legion get a whiff of us." _John reassured him.

"But." McKay began.

_"But, Weir would have a fit, and I can't risk anything happening to you…if I was in my own body. Maybe. But not now." _And He would have….had the situation been different. Sheppard would have laid his cards down then and there to solve the problem. Perhaps rolling in with guns blazing was a bit overdramatic but if it got the job done then so be it. It was about survival, he seemed to understand that more then anyone, except perhaps maybe Ford. Aiden knew what you had to do to survive, but then again they were military, McKay, thoughJohn didn't want to admit he was anything compaired tojust that, was still _just_ a civilian. And it was that survival instinct that was dooming them both. John laughed to himself, even when he wasn't trying, just being John Sheppard was trouble enough.

"So, you're the team leader…what the hell do we do now?" McKay continued on, taking the Major's silence as a chance for him to reflect.

_"Well I suppose as my last and final order….we wait." _The Major replied, sounding down hearted. What a crappy last order.

"I hate waiting." McKay mumbled, picking up a piece of loose metal and chucking it toward the ocean. It missed, pinging off the railing and nearly hitting the physicist in the head. He moved quickly, dodging the chunk. He had to admit, at least John was giving him better reflexes.

Ignoring his host's obvious blunder, John replied. _"Me too Rodney…me too."_

They sat there again….lost in a silence of memory and dissatisfaction of being at a loss for something to do other then wait, thatboth men nearly missed the sudden sound blearing just underneath the cry of the wind. McKay perked up, rotating his torso towards the balcony's doors, hearing an alarm. At first a streak of panic shot through him as he thought it might be the life support equipment connected to the Major's body, until he listened more carefully, getting up on his feet.

Concentrating hard through McKay's ears, John instantly recognized the noise. "_I might be mistaken Dr. McKay, but that there sounds like an incoming traveler_."

Taking a few steps closer to the doors, Rodney licked his lips. "Think Dran's changed his mind?"

"_I was thinking when hell froze over, but…who knows…things happen_."

"Good enough for me." McKay quickly shot towards the doors and back into the infirmary to find it completely empty. It seemed that Beckett, and toMcKay's unknowingness Weir, also had heard the alarm long before and had left for the gate room already. Jogging through the infirmary, Rodney took a quick glance at John's body, wishing he was here in a better form then just in the physicist's head. If it was something other then Dran, something worse, say a Wraith attack, at least they'd have a better chance. Now their defenses were running one man short.

As quickly as he could, Rodney made his way through the corridors towards the gate room, finding the trip surprisingly easy. He had the Major to thank for that. And in no time McKay was jutting through the doorway to the upper deck of the control room and up to were Weir stood. She seemed at first shocked to see him.

"What's going on?" McKay asked, enjoying the fact that he wasn't immensely out of breath.

Grodin was sitting at the gate control console, looking the information over as it came streaming in, shrugging to Elizabeth. "I don't' know, the address isn't in the database."

"Could be anyone for all we know." Beckett, who was standing on the opposite side of Weir watched as the defense team was rushed in, covering the area with raised guns.

Nodding, Weir replied to Peter. "Raise the shield and open a com-channel."

Grodin pressed a few of the symbol etched buttons on the Ancient consol then a few key strokes later he gave Elizabeth a nod to go ahead.

Clearing her throat, Weir addressed the waving event-horizon of the Stargate. "This is Doctor Elizabeth Weir, please identify yourself."

There then came the crackle of static over the speakers of the laptop resting on the gate controls. Suddenly though through the static came a voice, sounding to them, very young yet unexpectedly official. "I am Keffis of the Yu'set Contingent; I mean you no harm and am currently unarmed." The voice continued after a moment. "I believe, you have something we want."

_"Lower the shield." _John replied quickly from inside McKay.

Weir looked from Grodin, to Carson, then to Rodney who simple shrugged, looking about as astonished as she felt at the moment. McKay shook his head replying logically.  
"I don't know about you but I'm up for hearing something from a race supposedly extinct for centuries." "Besides, the Major wants us to do it."

Grodinglanced up to Elizabeth, his finger above the button to lower the only thing keeping them secure. "Dr. Weir?"

Elizabeth considered a moment, trying to weight the possible situations this could get them in. What if it was all the trick, what if it wasn't. She looked to Rodney then, considering what he had said John wanted. If Sheppard thought it was worth the risk…so did she. Weir swallowed hard. "Drop the shield, let's meet this Keffis."

* * *

TBC: Wooooo!

Things are about to get hectic, stay tuned for more! The next chapter will be full of much needed answers!


	8. The Yu'set

A/N: Captain Black Athena mentioned that some of the words in this story were being smashed together. Heheh, seems this site doesn't like my ellipses, it seems to cut them out and pretty much fuse the words. So, I'm using ---- instead, hopefully that will work. Sorry for the confusion. Also, I've placed a small section at the end of this chapter for pronunciation on some of these race names, character names, etc. Hope it helps. Well, without further ado…

* * *

**Chapter Eight:** _The Yu'set_

* * *

Rodney found himself taking the steps down to the Stargate two at a time, the task much easier then he remembered it due to Sheppard's gaining influence over his body. McKay did have to admit the feeling was both strange and, though he hated to admit it---enticing. He'd felt better then he had in years, had more energy then he knew what to do with, and though he couldn't exactly prove it; believed he was gaining a bit of muscle definition in his arms. On the other hand, he did have this obnoxious hankering to play Fooseball, not to mention an overwhelming sense of do-goody-ness. The whole---sharing a body with a military leader stick was a double-edged sword in the end, leaving Rodney less-then pleased. 

He made his way up to Weir's side, feeling a renewed excitement that had to be John's doing. There was a sense of hope that the physicist hadn't felt in days. Perhaps now they could get to the bottom of their predicament before it was too late, for them both.

A small but heavily outfitted team of soldiers spread out in clusters around the Stargate, ready to take defensive action if needed. Because of the Major's absence, Sgt. Bates had eagerly stepped up to resume command of the military units; he himself loomed in the background. A look of unmistakable displeasure on his face.

The watery surface of the gate rippled, streaming light into the room as the defense groups took aim and waited, the sounds of a dozen guns being prepped was nearly drowned out by the hum of the horizon.

Tensions were thick. McKay suddenly pictured a white plastic picnic knife shattering on nothing. His eyes rolled, mumbling to himself. "Thank you for that visual."

_"Sorry, just----popped in there." _John replied dryly, a bit embarrassed to fall back on a cliché. Absent mindedly he put Rodney's right hand into the physicist's pocket. McKay looked down at his appendage as if it haunted and quickly yanked his hand back out.

Elizabeth, hearing a voice over her shoulder, tore her eyes from the gate for a moment to look at McKay. Her brow creased with a questioning look, thinking that perhaps the physicist was speaking to her.

Rodney shrugged.

"What do you think they look like?" She asked then, turning her gaze back to the gate, wondering just what was taking so long.

"Short" McKay quipped, to which he received a reprimanding glance from Elizabeth.

"What?" Rodney defended. "It's plausible. Who said every race out in the known and unknown universe has to be some goliath monster. I mean they could be pigmies for all we know."

"_And if they're cannibals too, we'll use you as a peace offering." _

About to combat the Major's comment, McKay was cut short by a sudden movement in the horizon. Breaking the surface there stepped forth a cloaked and hooded figure. The defensive teams took aim, following the incoming traveler as it proceeded to remove its shroud, revealing not only a humanistic looking person, but a child as well.

Weir herself was shocked for a moment as the boy, looking around the tender age of seventeen made his way forward, coming within a few feet of where she was standing.

The lad, bowed---sandy colored curls shifting forward with his movement to return just around mid-ear when he stood once more. Turning his fair and airy eyes around the gathered groups of armed men, baring weapons aimed intently on him, the boy's eyes took on a saddened expression. "I do hope----" His voice gentle and slightly accented. "---this is not all for me?"

Weir steadied herself, wondering what the odds were that this was some sort of a trap, a trick to fool her and her men into lowering their defenses. Besides, what sort of race would send a child as a diplomat? "Only if it needs to be." Elizabeth replied formally. "Our apologies if this seems like an untrusting tactic---but defense of this city is a high priority."

The boy nodded, his concern lightening into a smile. "I assure you---as previously agreed, I am unarmed. As you can see." He unclasped his hands then, arms opening wide as a sign of reassurance. He then ever so slowly, untied the dark robe that hung round his shoulders; slinging it over his arm. Underneath the boy wore an outfit that John recognized instantly as the same he saw the defaced statues wearing in the temple. Draping lightly hued cloths bunched with an etch metal clasp near his shoulder, these garments flowed down, collecting near the floor.

"Then you're Keffis?" Ford slipped up a little closer now, eyeing the kid over. Why, put this Yu'set in fatigues and he could have been any of the men in the military units. Aiden could of sworn he went to school with a boy who looked just like him. Ford put out his hand.

The boy looked atthe extended hand as if it were some foreign object. Aiden laughed. "Oh, It's a hand shake see----" He reached out and carefully took Keffis's hand and placed it in his own, clasping it in a strong, sturdy shake. "It's a type of greeting back on Earth, where we come from."

Keffis laughed lightly, following the motion until Ford stepped back. "Pecular, yet enjoyable---thank you. I must admit to all of you---this negotiationis in fact my first." "But it is my responsibility to have Mave Ezer's wishes heard, andhe mustspeak to you urgently."

Weir couldn't help but admit she was a bit confused by the reply. "Mave--Ezer?"

"Yes, he and I have come personally to conduct these negotiations on your apparent use of the Aradis." Keffis concluded, surprised to find many a look of puzzlement from his new acquaintances. "One of you----has used the Aradis, have you not?"

"Alright." Rodney spoke up, raising a finger. "I'm not the only person here who's completely off the page right?" He glanced over to Ford who answered him with a slow nod. "Just making sure."

"Keffis forgive our ignorance but, you're the only one who came through the Stargate." Weir replied carefully. Could it have been possible that this Mave Ezer had some sort of cloaking device, or perhaps turned himself invisible? The very thought put a threatening idea into Elizabeth's mind. If say that was true, then who knew how many others had come through the gate----for all they knew, she and her men could have been surrounded and not even know it.

"I carry Ezer within me." The boy said quaintly, raising a hand up towards his head; touching two fingers to his brow. "Here."

"In your head." Ford reiterated, finally putting two and two together. Even though Dran had _obviously_ lied about the Yu'set being alive, maybe he _was _right about the device they found in the ruined temple. If Keffis carried this Ezer, like McKay was totting Sheppard around---maybe there was a way to get them unstuck. "So that temple we found on P2M-744 was yours?"

"Temple? If you are referring to one of our lost villages, then you are correct. That is why it is of the up most importance that we discuss these matters. There seems little time to waste." Keffis turned serious then, believing it was high time to shed some light on the questions Ezer had.

"_You can say that again."_ John muttered. Having watched this all from within Rodney's mind, John had the distinct feeling he wasn't going to like what the boy had to say. That sour feeling sapped through to McKay in mere moments, making the physicist frown without even realizing it.

"Perhaps." Weir began. "We can conduct these, negotiations, in a more comfortable setting. We have a conference room just above there." She pointed passed the stairs to the enclosed room, lined with slotted windows. "I hope that's alright with Ezer and yourself?"

"That will be most suitable." Keffis agreed, following Elizabeth as she led him up the stairs. Ford sidestepped over to where McKay was watching their enigmatic visitor ascend to the briefing room.

"Seems like a nice guy." Aiden shrugged, looking at the physicist for what he thought of the whole thing.

"Nice? He's 12." Rodney whipped back, folding his arms cross his chest.

_"That 12 year old, McKay---is in the same state we are. Now there's got to be a reason he's completely fine with that."_

McKay glanced off to the opposite side Ford was standing on. "Doesn't mean I have to like it."  
"He could be playing the cute card to win us over for all we know."

"Cute card?" Aiden winced up, wondering just what sort of conversation was going on between the Major and Rodney at the moment.

McKay looked to the young lieutenant shaking his head as he started up the steps, Ford following after him. "I just want you to know, I'm not susceptible to the cuteness." The physicist shouted to no one in particular.

_"Gee, I hadn't noticed. Just try not to offend him too much, alright?" _

* * *

"Are you absolutely sure about this ma'am?" Bates asked, glaring into the briefing room as he stood outside the door, his eyes locking on their new visitor. Weir had subsequently delayed the medial teams to run their procedural tests on the alien, which bothered him greatly. Who knows what this thing, as he referred to the Yu'set could be carrying, could be capable of. 

Weir could sense the man's untrusting nature towards Keffis, she had to admit she felt the same herself; though certainly much less. She still knew to keep her wits about her, but where would the bonds of trust be created if not for the conceding from one side for the other? Great steps in trust took sacrifice. "And I said, Sergeant. That I don't want him to feel any more unwelcome then he already has. We're still civilianized people." Elizabeth saw the disgruntle expression cross over Bates's face, so she quickly added. "But that doesn't mean I want us completely open to anything. What do you have in mind?"

The man seemed to ease up then, motioning a hand to two armed men that waited down the hall. "Armed guards at the door, they can stand off at the sides and not be seen---" Bates added with a disdainful tone. "---If that's alright, ma'am." No matter how many times Bates said ma'am, it always sounded to Elizabeth like he was saying something more, explicitly offensive to her instead. She simply nodded.

Bates directed his soldiers as Weir finally entered the debriefing room, finding everyone seated comfortably around the table. They took a moment then to make introductions. The Yu'set boy seemed more then pleased to meet so many interesting and new people. Elizabeth took her seat then, folding her hands together on the table as she brought them all back to business.

"Keffis, can you tell us more about this Aradis machine?"

"Yes, I will tell you all that Mave Ezer and I know about the device." The boy began, clearing his throat and settling in his seat. He directed most of his following comments to Elizabeth, to whom he sat the closest. "Perhaps we should start from the beginning. Once, long ago the Yu'set were in an uneasy allegiance with a race known as the A'vok."

"We have met them. An A'vok by the name of Dran detained us on P2M-744, which we originally thought might have been a deserted planet." Teyla pointed out, recalling the unpleasant incident with a grimace.

Keffis seemed taken back. "I see. Then----then you already know the gravity of the situation." "While our two races once shared a life together, my people soon discovered that the A'voks were heading down a path we could simply not allow ourselves to follow."

"You separated yourselves then?" Weir asked.

"Yes." The boy sighed heavily. "But I believe we did so, far too late." "You see, long before I was born, my people refined themselves to the arts, medicine, and the betterment of ourselves through knowledge and study passed through generations." Keffis then glanced down to the table, troubled. "The A'voks instead prided themselves on technology, greed and tyranny. The A'voks could no longer see us as equals but, enemies."  
"We Yu'set believe that life is precious, while the A'vok viewed it as something valueless and expendable. We only found out about how monstrous their ideals were years and years after our separation when a lowly A'vokien inventor stumbled into our village." The boy lifted his brighteyes then to Weir, speaking cautiously. "With him, was the Aradis."

"So, you're saying the A'voks created the device on that planet?" McKay asked suddenly, unsatisfied to say the least in the lad's story. And the fact that thegood old Commander had down right lied to them twice, first about the apparent existence of the Yu'set and secondlythat they knew about the damn machine in the first place turned his stomach. The again, what did Dran know? How could he have predicted they'd be contacted at the city? Dran was simply protecting his ideals, and now he knew the device was there. Even if they had been allowed to go back to the planet, this, Aradis would have probably been long gone; wrenched right out of its resting place in the temple.

Keffis nodded, continuing. "My people had at the time no desire for science and machinery. But the A'vokien man came to us with horrifying stories." "He, being a good and caring man at heart, was enlisted to build a machine that could ultimately transfer one being's consciousness into that of another. He found out later that the A'voks planned to use his new device in order to interrogate their criminals and innocent people to gather information. The A'vokien military completely ignored any idea of a reversal process, simply expelling the consciousness of their _own _people----into void like waste."

"That's horrible." Elizabeth exclaimed softly, feeling nearly sickened that she had let Dran into the city in the first place, though then again she really had no choice in it---her team was more then literally under the gun of the A'vokien government.

"Mave Ezer says it was a tragic end for the sake of power. The inventor of the Aradis fled his home, destroying all but a few of his machines, fleeing into the wilderness; where he found us." The young Yu'set recalled Ezer's memories, not his own. Ezer himself had heard the story from his father. "We gave him sanctuary and in turn he showed us his device; together we discovered the truly beneficial uses for it."

Rodney raised a brow, glowering. "Yes but you yourself said your people were apposed to technology." That very concept frustrated him to no end. "Though how any suitable self-sustaining civilization could properly improve themselves without the benefits of technology, boggles even my mind."  
_"Sometimes, I think you like to burn bridges McKay." _

"I understand your confusion Doctor. For years our greatest minds had been dying at the twilight of their lives, like all things do. Their life's work went unfinished, great discoveries and studies could not be continued after their researchers were gone. A mentor is only as good as the knowledge and wisdom he or she possesses. So, when one of our Elders nears the end of their life; a person, such as myself is chosen as a body for renewal."

"Like a parasitic host." Rodney added. His right hand, resting on his knee suddenly jerked, digging his very fingers into his own kneecap. McKay cringed silently, tearing his own hand off and clapping it down on the table. McKay looked around, catching the varying expressions from his colleges as he let out an awkward laugh. "Spasm." He excused lamely, inwardly blaming Sheppard.

Keffis looked rather confused turninghis attention back to Weir. "So to speak, the Maves would in turn pass their knowledge onto the next generation. I myself am carrying the great Mave Ezer. We have shared thus far, five wonderful years together and I honor his presence, it is a great privilege to be chosen for such a task."

"The graves…" Ford found himself muttering, as the rows upon rows of stone cut graves found at the ruined temple flashed in his mind. That's why the dates were so wrong.

"Graves?" Keffis asked, gazing to the young lieutenant.

Teyla reiterated then. "Yes, upon visiting the temple on P2M-774, Ford and I discovered several hundred graves marked strangely."

As if the idea finally struck light within the Yu'set's mind, a respectful smile crossed over the boy's face. "Ah, you're referring to the markers----yes they depict the dates of renewal----the death of an elder and the birth of a carried bond with their successor. Many bodies of our greatest minds rest eternally in that temple. Though we were forced to abandon it many years ago."

"Why did you have toleave it?" Ford asked. Remembering just how desolate that temple was, remembered how being in there was kinda depressing.

"The A'vok, in hunting for the inventor and their precious machine stalked us relentlessly, wiping out many of our villages, until there were only a handful of us left alive. We went into hiding, and have continued to live so, ever since." The boy replied, his tone shadowing his inward anger, which was no surprise considering what happened to his people. Keffis closed his eyes, nodding to himself and then reopen them. He seemed calmer, as if Ezer had consoled him."Now the A'vok spread across the galaxy like a sickness, while we cower in the darkness, limited in our own existence."

"Keffis, is it possible for someone to say----mistakenly activate the Aradis?" McKay questioned, wanting to test just how much this, kid, really knew.

"To do so, is a calculated process." The Yu'set responded, reminding himself that he was, partially here to discover just who activated the machine.

"How, calculated are we talking about here?" McKay asked glad to be finally getting to the meat he wanted. Not that the whole story behind the Yu'set and A'vok was uninteresting---just more pressing issues were on his mind at the moment. Like survival.

"Well, upon Ezer's transference, and according to the inventor's instructions, he gave up a offering of his own blood….but the dynamics of the machine are unknown to me, as I've said, my people are not wise in the ways of science. After that, Mave Ezer placed his hands upon themachine and I stood behind him, in wait. After a moment, the ceremony was complete."

"_Had to cut your finger, didn't you?" _Grumbled John. If he could go back and reconsider McKay's request to stay he would have, in a heartbeat. Then again it was his own curiosity that got them into this mess in the first place. It seemed Rodney plucked the very words from John's thoughts.

_"_Ah, might I remind you Major, who had the bright of idea of screwing with it afterwards?" Rodney suddenly spoke out of turn, interrupting Keffis. "Pardon me." He muttered, turning his eyes down to the table.

"F-for each of the devices-----" The boy continued, unsure as to what was causing the man's strange behavior. "---the inventor, before left in fear of endangering us any further---had created a sensor that would signal whenever the Aradis was used. Since our people were so far spread in hiding, it helped to keep track when, where, and who was being passed for our records." "He also, showed us how to record the symbols left in what you call the Stargate in order to recall already activated signatures, this way we had documented paths for our safe houses----it was also how we were able to locate yours."

"You can actually use the gate to get call back addresses?" This question Elizabeth aimed towards Rodney who; bit on his bottom lip thinking the matter over.

"Well, with as much as we currently know about the DHD, which isn't much. It's quite possible that the gate could have a memory system." He concluded finally. The concept of essentially recording gate addresses off the consoles was an interesting endeavor. Who knew what sort of places they could get to, probably many addresses not even the Ancients were aware about.

From within the bubbling of thoughts came Sheppard's voice. "_Focus."_

McKay blinked, realizing that Keffis was in fact, talking again.

"Yes, this system of---addresses—as you call them is stored for a limited time in most of the gates across the universe, even yours might have such a capability." "We simply recorded the last path created and since it was not one of our known A'vokien ad—addresses, it was decided to contact you."

"Which brings me to the point at hand---which one of your people Dr. Weir, activated the Aradis?"

"That would be me and the Major." McKay raised a hand, waving. "He's, how do I put it---indisposed at the moment."  
"_Eloquently put McKay."_

"And he has been passed within you?" Keffis asked awkwardly. He was now beinging to understand perhaps why the man had been acting so strangely through their entire meeting.

McKay narrowed his eyes. "Oh I wouldn't call it passing, I'd say it's more like usurping."

The boy paused as if listening to something in the room before he nodded. "Yes High Mave, I agree-----this is grave news indeed." "The passing has never been preformed on any other race save for the A'vok and my people."

"Which brings up the point, does the Aradis have any sort of, adverse side effects?" Carson spoke up, eager to get a few of his own questions answered.

"Side effects?" Keffis repeated to himself, essentially asking Ezer. "Not to our knowledge."

"What about erratic decomposition. Is that a natural effect of the passin'?" Asked Beckett from across the debriefing table. "Major Sheppard's body is basically rottin' in the infirmary even on life-support----" This got Carson a puzzled look from the boy, he realized he needed explain it simply. "The life support machines are to keep his body running since his---mind isn't workin' inside it anymore. Usually that's all you need keep someone alive----but for some reason, he's decomposin'---and at an alarmin' rate on top of that."

The boy was silent, his eyes focused elsewhere before he talked again. "Mave Ezer understands that every creature in this universe is created differently. I must agree with him that the resemblance between your people and my own is striking; Ezer believes that perhaps we are more different then we know." "This in itself could be the reason for these, side effects as you call them." "But we do not know, why they are happening to Major Sheppard. I am sorry."

"You mentioned before that the A'vok disregarded any idea of a reversal process when using the Aradis, that means there's possibly a way to undo what it's done, correct?" Elizabeth asked, troubled.

"Yes Dr. Weir. There is in fact a way to transfer a consiousness back to its original resting place." "However---" The boy seemed to cloud up, unsure onhow to address the idea.

"However?" Weir urged him gently to continue.

Keffis turned his gaze down to the table, eyeing it worriedly before he spoke. "The Yu'set _shun_ the idea of rejecting the gift of knowledge, the transferal as you call it. Though the option is available, it has not been used for many years. Further more the only man who can possibly do the reversing process left us long ago."

"Well isn't that convenient." Rodney spat. "I should probably just start moving John's stuff into my room."

_"Who said we were going to live in your room?" _

McKay's eyes went wide then as he turned round in his chair, speaking in a low and reprimanding voice, pointing a finger at empty air. "Listen, I'm the one on the short end of the stick here!" "Just remember who's body your going to be commandeering soon." He turned back then, straightening himself out.

"Do not fret----my people believe, and well----Ezer and I both see that perhaps you are capable of helping both our people and yours as well."  
The Yu'set was met with silence. "On one of the A'vokien planets, in the great city of Ha'vall there is a citadel, a prison if you will for the most infamous of beings, not only A'voks are lost to this place might I add." "In fact one of our own, a High Mave has been captured and imprisoned within its walls and we are most bereaved without them."  
"Now it comes to it." Keffis grew grave, leaning forward in his chair. "In order, for Dr. McKay and the Major to be separated, we need the inventor of the Aradis."

"But you said he had gone." Teyla said suddenly, recalling the Yu'sets very story.

"Uh, doesn't anyone else wonder how you incarcerate someone who's a few hundred years old?" Rodney uttered quickly, making a good point. But then again the A'vok being a completely alien race, could, in theory have a genetic quality much like the Wraith. Yeah, Dran seemed likea bloodsucking kind of guy. McKay thought distastefully.

"As I have said before, all beings in this life are different. The A'vok are no exception. We don't understand why they are able to live so much longer then us. Mave Ezer believes that had we of continued our coexistence, great things could have come to pass." "fundamentally, we need each other."

"_The Yu'set need the A'vok's life span, and the A'voks need the Yu'set's compassion. Kind of ironic." _Sheppard said sadly.

"The inventor still lives, but he has been imprisoned by his own people. And in three days time he will be executed at the citadel. There is a spy amongst the A'vok, in allegiance with us who would be able to get one or two of your men into the compound, where you would retrieve not only our High Mave, but also Gertz----the A'vokien inventor."

"And in turn you'll perform the transfer?" Weir was putting the pieces together now. And equal exchange of assistance for assistance. Even if they refused to say, save the inventor----he was needed anyway to save McKay and Sheppard. She would have to consider all of this very carefully. And only two men at most to go, who would be the best choices?

"Of course." Keffis said, satisfied.

Rodney looked around the table to each person there, not believing that they had all just accepted that plan, one which he felt was convoluted at best. He could hold his tongue no longer. "So let me get this straight-----and, correct me if I'm wrong here." Keffis met the physicist's glare with a look of innocent interest. " You want us to infiltrate the A'vokien central city and rescue not only your high chancellor but also the guy who built the machine for the same people putting him to death in three days time not to mention the more then blearing fact that I have maybe a week or two till John high-jacks my body and his turns into compost?" Clamping his mouth shut, McKay took in a heaping breath, ready to lock horns again.

The lad simply agreed. "Yes Dr. McKay, you are correct on all points."

"No offence but that's completely asinine." McKay shot back bitterly.

"Rodney" Weir warned. She herself found the plan farfetched but it was the only plan anyone had given her in some time. And since it was a means to an end for this doomed situation, she wouldn't put it out right away. If it were possible to complete this mission, with all parties intact; then it was worth trying or at least fleshing out.

McKay though, felt quite differently. "No seriously. How do you expect us to just waltz in there and get them?" "I can just see the look on Dran's face right now." "Oh, hi Commander, you remember me right? The man with two brains-----yeah could we just snag two high crime prisoners from ya? Thanks."

"_He's right." _John spoke up suddenly, though loudly enough that it didn't seem he was responding to McKay, but to maybe Elizabeth instead.

"Who's right?" McKay asked Sheppard, catching odd glances from his teammates. Elizabeth quieted down, figuring that at the moment, the Major must have been saying something to Rodney.

John continued sounding more or less concerned. "_You are." _

The physicist blinked, uttering. "I am?"

In the mean time, Teyla sent a confused look to Ford, who just shrugged. "I guess they're having their own little coo in there."

_"Yeah I'm pretty shocked by it myself." _Sheppard replied dryly. "_The point is, there's not enough time to plan out a proper rescue mission. And I know I've more then a few times flown out of here gun-ho to help someone, but the situation's a little different. I'm not alone anymore." _

"I don't know whether to feel touched or insulted Major." McKay frowned, looking back to Weir. "He said we need more time to plan, time which we don't have of course----or should I say he and I don't have."

"I know the task, seems perilous." Keffis said encouragingly, fearing that perhaps he was losing his plight. "But Ezer and I believe the compensation for both parties is well worth the risk."

_"Ask him why haven't any of his people tried to rescue them---and for Christ sakes do it nicely." _

Rodney paced himself, sighing. "The Major wants to know, why haven't any of your people tried to rescue your missing diplomat-------you see I did that nice!" McKay snapped to his side trailing off with a grumble.

"_Remind me, to make you, put a gold star sticker on your chart for today. Your three away from extra time in the reading circle McKay, I'm proud of you." _

McKay clenched a fist with the only hand he did have absolute control over under the table, Keffis unware of the man's inner turmoil continued to answer Sheppard's question.

"The A'vok know our people well, we have no way to adapt…blend in. We would be spotted most easily. It was risk enough to enter the planet and receive the path signatures for your Stargate. If it is any consolation----Dr. McKay, Ezer deeply apologizes for your present situation. When he was just a boy, that village now ravaged by jungle was attacked and destroyed; the temple left behind and with it----its secrets. It is a miracle in itself the A'vok have not discovered the Aradis before this." "And keep in mind, the Yu'set will do everything in our power to aid you."

"Keffis, if we might, get a days time to decide. If that's alright for your people?" Elizabeth asked, finding the request more then appropriate. This was no type of mission to make any rash decisions on. "There's a lot of things to take into consideration."

"Take all the time you need Dr. Weir, but remember, time is of the essence."

"No kidding." Muttered the physicist, nearly missing a threatening look from Weir in his own sulking.

_"Don't worry, we'll----figure something out."_ Sheppard spoke up, trying to sound helpful._ "If not, I just-----just might consider letting you keep your room." _

"Don't think you could swing and consider letting me keep my body instead?" Rodney said crossly to an empty seat across the table, quickly gathering his things and excusing himself from the debriefing room. Granted the information they got wasn't exactly the type of thing he wanted---well in truth it wasn't at all what he expected. But that, seemed to be the way things worked, nothing flowed easy; there were no quick finishes to----anything. He was more then positive John would want to go on this suicide mission, which meant he had to go too. McKay thought then that perhaps, that wouldn't be such a bad thing. Maybe the lower percentage of return the better, then at least he could die with whatever little control he had left over his body. Die while he was still, him.

Back in the debriefing room, seeing as how the brunt of the discussion was over, Beckett had a request of his own for the Yu'set. "Keffis, I was wonderin'-----if I could borrow you for a wee bit, run a few rudimentary medical tests. It's standard procedure whenever we'er lucky enough to have folks visit us."

"Medical tests?" Keffis asked hesitantly.

Laughing, the Doctor tried to put his mind at ease. "Oh, don't worry, it's nothin' painful… cross my heart. I'll go over everythin' with you, might help answer some questions I have about you and the ah---Aradis."

The boy was silent for a moment, glancing off to the side of himself---nodding at what seemed some sort of dialog going on within him. He then turned his attentions back to Carson. "Mmm, yes----Mave Ezer sees nothing wrong with it so we will. I'm eager to be of help to your people. And might I say Dr. Weir---Ezer thinks your city is more beautiful then the great cities of his youth. A true marvel. He is grateful to have been able to see it in his life time, as am I."

"Why, thank you Keffis, and----Ezer." Weir smiled, pushing back in her seat, standing. "Perhaps later onI can give you a tour of Atlantis." "And if you like, if andwhen all this is over, we could keep a running line of contact with each other."

"That, would be most agreeable." The boy replied, feeling that for his first negotiation, it went rather well indeed."

* * *

Later that day, Keffis found himself within the infirmary as Beckett called it. He was asked to stay near a bed looking contraption in the large room, as Carson went off to gather what he called, 'necessities'. The Yu'set found himself drawn to a beeping sound coming from somewhere else in the room, he looked about to find a bed, drapped in a strange material far off towards the back of the infirmary. Curiousity getting the better of the young boy, he made his way over, gazing within the hazy covering to see a person, most of his skin wrapped in thin white strips of cloth. 

Beckett came back to the main section of the infirmary, metal tray in hand. "Alright Keffis, I just need ya to hold----" "Keffis?" Not seeing the boy where he left him, Carson grew a touch panicked, looking about.

"I am here Dr. Beckett." Keffis called from thecovered bedside, waving a hand to the doctor. Carson placed the tray down on a clean cot and walked over to the Yu'set's side. The lad was currently gazing at John's body.

"Major Sheppard I presume?" He asked finally.

"Yes, he's seen better days I assure you----it's heartbreaken' to watch really." Beckett replied sadly.

Shaking his head, Keffis looked to him, such concern was in his eyes that Carson was at first, taken back. "I have never seen the Aradis effect someone so, If you told me it did this, I would not have believed you---but to see it with my own eyes---our own eyes. I am truly sorry."

Giving the boy a reassuring smile, Beckett laid a hand on his shoulder leading him back to the center of the room. "Oh it's not your fault son---eh sorry, Keffis. It was an accident. They happen even to the best of us." "Now, hows about you come with me and we'll get started?"

Sitting upon the cot, Keffis was made topush up his drapingsleeve and surrender his arm to Beckett. "Alright now---What I'm gonna do is use this." Carson held up a syringe. "And take some of your blood for testin'."

The Yu'set nodded, unsure why anyone would need something so precious as one's lifes-blood. "Will I feel pain?"

Carson chuckled. "Oh no, well maybe a wee pinch. But I have to say you're a much braver lad then I was when I was your age. To let some strange man take a poke at ya." Holding Keffis's arm gently, Beckett tied a tunicate round his bicep and prepared a vein. He paused then. "That cameout, _completely_ wrong." But the Yu'set took no offence to anything, for he didn't understand the implication. Beckett let out an uneasy laugh and continued with his work.

"Aye, there now. That wasn't so bad now was it?"

"Goodness." The Yu'set remarked, watching as Carson pulled a small rubber capped tube off the metal tray and connected it to the needle still in the boy's arm. Keffis watched as the blood spirted forth into the tube, making him gasp softly.

"Don't worry, I'm not out for all of it." Beckett reassured him, filling the tube near half way before capping it, marking it, and reaching for another one. In the mean time he meant to keep the boy comfortable, and now was a good time as any to learn a bit more about him.

"So, Keffis, why don't you tell me a little about yourself."

"Myself?" Keffis drew his eyes away from his arm, trying not to think of what was happening. "Well, there is not much interest in myself, but I can tell you much of my people and----" And he paused, seeming to be listening to something. "I apologize, Ezer has reminded me not to be rude, I should answer your question first to the best of my knowledge."

Beckett asked, carefully pulling a third and final tube from Keffis, as he slipped the needle out with painstaking patience. He prided himself on a painless process, unless he was working with McKay; then consideration went out the window. "Ezer---he's inside your head like Johns' in Rodney's, right?"

"You are correct." The boy replied, watching as Carson opened a paper wrapped pouch and produced what looked to him like a small square of cloth, this the doctor pressed to the red spot, beading with blood now on Keffis's arm.

Carson picked up the boys hand and placed two of his fingers on the cloth. "Hold that there and raise your arm in the air alright?"

Doing as instructed, Keffis held his arm up, wondering to what purpose it served.

Beckett pulled off his gloves and tossed them out, clicking a pen as he picked up a clipboard from off a nearby table. "And you're alright with that?" He asked halfly to the paper he was jotting notes on, until he turned his gaze back to the boy. " I mean---this was somethin' you chose?"

"Chose, no---chosen for, yes. When we are born, the Council of Maves decided who is worthy to receive and who is not." Keffis replied, tempted to ask if he could lower his arm now. "It's a great honor to be chosen, I regret nothing."

"You certainly are a very bright and mature young man. In fact I know a few physicists that could learn a lesson or two from you." Beckett chuckled to himself, placing both pen and board down. "Ok Keffis, now I'm gonna shine this light in your eyes and record the effect alright?"

"All right." "It is kind of you to say that Dr. Beckett." The boy watched as Carson clicked on a small tipped light and went for his eyes. Keffis squinted, flinching slightly as the doctor moved the light back and forth, nodding to himself.

"Please, call me Carson." He muttered with a wink, clicking off the light and rolling backwards, writing his findings down. "If you don't mind me askin', why were you chosen?" He then proceeded to pull Keffis's arm down, bandaging it.

"I exceeded in qualities Mave Azer found fitting beyond any other child in my birth group, the generation of children born at the same time as myself…and so, he chose me to perform the Aradis." "Now he is with me always."

Looking back up at Keffis, Carson motioned to his chest. "I'm gonna take a listen to your heart and lungs but I'll need you to remove your shirt, if that's alright?"

Keffis followed suit, Beckett stopping him from taking off anymore then he should have. The Yu'set sat there, bare-chested and chilled as Carson went about his work, comming at him with a stephoscope.

"Breath in." He asked softly, listening. "Again-----alright one more real deep." "Good."

"Doesn't that ever get, you know---strange? I mean, no offence to you, but I couldn't imagin' runnin' around with someone else sloshin' around in my brain-pan." Beckett asked, pulling the stethoscope from his ears.

"He does not mind, Ezer finds your ideas on us very refreshing. I will be honest, at first it was very strange having him with me, constantly----but the days passed like any other, and now I could not imagine walking a day without him---Mave Ezer has become like a father to me."

"Well I'm sure carrying a great leader round in yer head makes you a catch with the lasses." Carson mused to himself.

Keffis blinked, confused by the word as he pulled his robes back up when Beckett motioned him to. "lasses?"

Beckett laughed, forgetting himself for a moment. Even when he was talking just to other folks around the city, sometimes his terminology escaped them. "Sorry, girls, women---I'm sure they're lining up for a clever boy like you." He went about writing again.

"Oh no, there are no, lasses as you call them. As a carrier, it is not in my place to wed and propagate."

Stopping mid sentence, Carson looked up. "Wait, you mean you're not allowed to be with anyone?"

Keffis agreed like it were something simple and normal. "Yes, such a relationship would be strange for both me and Ezer, besides it is not my people's custom. Those who are chosen to receive the passing must remain celibate."

"You're not allowed to----to love? Keffis, that's just cruel-----"

Laughing lightly, the boy blushed. "I do not mind Carson, really. I've accepted my fate willingly. Our population will flourish long after I'm gone, and that is reason enough to make the sacrifice." He spoke so poignantly, not like any teenage boy Beckett had ever know. The Yu'set were truly a strange race.

"Well, Keffis…I won't berate your beliefs, I just find them rather unfair." Carson continued, placing the pen back down and rolling up to the boy. "Haven't you ever felt the need to----I mean you're so young." He didn't mean to get themselves on such an awkward subject, but it troubled the doctor to hear something like this, and he just didn't understand the reasoning of it. Were these chosen children like priests?

"Need to be with a female? Well, I would be lying to say I have not thought about it. But I suppose that is the trade. Ultimate wisdom and promise, as compared to the passing of my linage, I will die my parents only son." Keffis confided in him, looking down at his hands. He never really did think there was a problem with this life, not until it was questioned by an outsider.

"And I suppose whoever you get passed to will be tied to the same fate aye? Shame." Carson clucked his tongue, sitting back in his chair as he folded his arms about his chest. What a life.

Glancing up, the Yu'set shook his head. "Oh no, I will never use the Aradis again. Only Maves receive passing, and----well I have no chance to become one."

"What do you mean no chance?"

"When it is my time to die, that will be my end." Keffis replied simply.

Now that was it! Beckett sat up, exclaiming. "But that's not----Keffis, with all you've been made to give up, and not receive the same immortalization is---"

"----Is a once in a lifetime opportunity Carson." The boy softly interrupted him. "To carry with me knowledge men and women of my village dream of having and die without ever knowing. I'm enriched, Ezer has been more a father to me then my own, and I would not trade that for any other life. I know that might be hard for you to accept, but it is all I know." He finished, hoping the man would understand.

Beckett was dumbfounded and at a complete loss for words. He looked to the young lad, trying to comprehend the life he was living, the life we was essentially _forced_ to live. But who was he to judge what one man could believe in over another? It wasn't his place. Sobering, Beckett just nodded, giving Keffis a half-hearted smile as he returned to his notes, trying to hide his disquiet; trying not to upset the boy. It wasn't his fault anyway---Keffis even seemed to like his life, and that; Carson would just have to accept.

To Be Continued….

* * *

A'vok A-vock  
Yu'set You-set  
Aradis Air-a-diss  
Keffis K-hef-iss  
Ezer Ay-zear  
Mave May-v 


	9. A Wee Bit of Foos

**A/N:** Hi all! Happy belated 4th of July! And to whom it may concern: "I like ceeerrral." Inside thing, worry not. Anyway, here's a new chappy, a bit of light mixed with heavy, it's coming down to crunch time for our boys. Let's hope they keep it together. Oh, the math formulas in here i pulled straight from my book, so...hopefully they make some logical sense. Enjoy.

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**Chapter Nine:** _A Wee Bit of Foos. _

* * *

Through the haze of what was turning out to be an unsatisfactory sleep, McKay swore he heard knocking. His head jerked up, right cheek tingling as the flesh regained feeling from being smashed so long in his pillow. "Wha?" Rodney muttered hoarsely. Being that he was just coming out of a dream, the physicist had a murky image of John building a penthouse up in his head for the long haul, hammering away; but quickly disregarded this when he then heard the knocking again. He cracked a dry eye open, seeing a silhouette of someone standing just outside his door. 

"McKay? You awake?" Came a voice sounding faintly like Ford, though muffled immensely by the door.

With a weary grunt, Rodney rolled over off his stomach, sitting up. "Well I am now." He replied with annoyance. Shifting that blurry eye to a table set up beside his bed,where a digital clock rested atop it, McKay was greeted by the blearing red numbers of the current hour. "Do you realize what time it is!" He ended up snapping. "I have clearly pointed out, time and time again that unless the city is about to spontaneously combust, I don't want to know about any crisis till at least, seven a.m." Meanwhile in his mind, all seemed quiet; too quiet in fact. Sheppard was thus far nowhere to be----well, heard. Rodney had the notion that perhaps he managed to catch John while he was _actually_ sleeping. If, that was even possible in their situation.

"I just needed to talk to the Major about something." Aiden retorted, his dark silhouette shifting as he attempted to look inside the room through the door, hands cupped around his eyes. This of course proved un-useful because of the foggy make of the glass was near impossible to see through. "Won't take long, I promise----McKay are you still even listening to me?"

Snorting, the physicistfolded his arms. "Can't it wait till tomorrow?" He asked regrettably, knowing fully well that with the way things were currently going in his life, nothing seemed to be able to wait till tomorrow. If it wasn't an immediate threat, it was a long term one that needed immediate action.

"I, I guess it could." Ford admitted, sounding down and out disappointed. His figure moved to shove his hands in his pockets, a foot scuffing the ground. McKay had a brief pang of guilt, followed by what seemed a sort of sick curiosity as to what Aiden wanted. Before he could consider otherwise, Rodney found himself rolling out of bed and onto his feet. Carefully he made his way to the door, nearly stubbing his toe into a nearby chair by mere inches, his hand fumbling for the light sensor. The blindness that followed, lasted only a few minutes as his eyes adjusted to the sudden light.

As the door slid open, Aiden's head shot up, a triumphant smile crawling over his face. Though, that grin soon turned to a smirk as he got a real good look at McKay: watery-eyed, pasty, stubble-chinned and not to mention; peeved. "Ah, nice shorts doc." The young lieutenant proceeded to snicker, pointing a finger downward.

McKay followed his gesture to his boxers, which were black cotton imprinted with hover cars, sprockets and Jetson character heads. He looked back up with an even deeper frown. "They were a gift from my aunt; Ford, now are we going to stand here in my doorway at _four-thirty_ in the morning and discuss sleepwear or do you have a legitimate problem?"

Retaining yet another laugh, Aiden sobered himself and decided that since it was so late, that perhaps it wasn't the best idea to mock the obviously cranky man. "Is the Major around?"

Tensing his lips, McKay tried to compose himself, replying dryly. "Oh he just stepped out---do you want to leave a message? Of course he's around! I'd love to wake up and find him _not_ around; but at the moment, if you _have_ to know---I think he's asleep; like I was, like _you_ should be." He tapped his bare foot lightly on the floor, seeing Ford making no attempt to respond, Rodney added. "Not grabbing this concept are we lieutenant?" Pointing up and pass Aiden's shoulder in the direction of the hall. "Go---back---to---_your_---room."

"I know, I know it's late." Ford chuckled, raising his hands up in defense; trying to calm the irritated physicist down. "But I just wanted to know what you and the Major decided. About the Yu'set mission and all. And---something else." He trailed off then, twisting up his mouth—unsure how to go about what he wanted to ask.

McKay leaned his head forward, widening his eyes as if to say 'well? What else?'. Though he simply let Ford dangle in the wind, thinking that if the lieutenant wanted whatever it was so badly, he'd have to come out and ask it himself.

Aiden let out a sigh, kicking the floor with his boot. "Well, around this time---the Major and I, we well---"

The sudden realization came to Rodney like a smack to the head. He knew exactly what Ford was getting at and the idea was absolutely out of the question. "Ooooh no!" He started, throwing a hand up. "Oh no, no, no----there's no way in hel--I don't care what you and John do at---no, the answer is no."

"But you didn't even ask him." Ford began, trying to sound needy.

Narrowing his eyes, McKay came back; his annoyance nearly peeking its limits. "I don't have to ask him Ford, a week from now when he's taken me over, then, _then_ you can ask him yourself. Until then, you can keep your late nights to yourself. Good night." With that, Rodney angrily smacked the censor to his side sending the door sliding shut right in the lieutenant's face. He waited there a moment, seeing Ford pause just behind the door then turn and leave.

McKay let out a long sigh, trying to release his aggravation. He ran a hand through his hair letting his head hang low, that feeling of guilt returning.

_"Yeah you should be." _John's voice came out of the silence, making the physicist jump.

Rolling his eyes. "I thought you were asleep." McKay made his way tiredly back to bed, plopping down haphazardly on the edge, now rubbing the prickly sting of sleep from his face.

"_I was---"_ Sheppard replied crossly. "_Just until the time you tried to send Ford back to his room." "Don't you think you were just a little, rude to him? I mean he did trek all the way down here." _

"Ford's room is like ten rooms from here John, I don't think he'll get lost. Besides, If you haven't noticed, it's the middle of the night and I don't feel much like romping around at all hours of the evening. Some of us around here actually take our work seriously." McKay fell back into his bed, ready to make a grab for his covers and curl up in them, proper position on the bed or not; he _would _get some ounce of sleep.

"_Ah, but the kid did have a point. We do need to talk about this rescue mission." _John replied in a mater-of-fact tone. Which, he was technically correct on. Since Rodney had retired early to his room after the meeting with Keffis, he had spent the rest of the day held up in there. While Sheppard spent the 'quiet' time devising the best way---if they were going on this mission---to go about it. Trying to figure out a plan of action for the ridiculously short time he had to do it, was no small task. He believed Ford would be the best to accompany Rodney and himself of course; But in order to get their strategy underway, Sheppard needed to talk to Aiden. And McKay wasn't helping at all choosing to stay in.

"Yes, I agree we do---but not around a few casual games of hallway soccer." The physicist replied to John's prolonged silence. He wondered then just what the man was thinking. Though in truth, he really didn't want to know. Being the leader---or so he thought, _forced_ leader on a type of mission like this was not his idea of getting his feet wet. Leading his team on a routine investigation of a new address was more his speed. Rescue missions were for someone like John, not him. But what choice did he have in the end?

After the myriad of thoughts coming from Rodney had finally stopped, Sheppard continued, trying to talk some sense into the man. _"Why not?__ Sometimes I do my best thinking when I'm concentrating on something else. Don't you think we need a little R&R from the shit we've dealt with lately? I've been good McKay, I think I deserve a little time with my friends---our friends." _He concluded trying to peak the physicist's interest, knowing fully well that Rodney had a companionment issue; believing he was the odd man out between John and Ford. Which, wasn't _all_ true---and Sheppard would have brought up the subject if he knew Rodney wouldn't flake out of it, not wanting to discuss what the the manfelt was a sensitive issue; this being obvious from McKay's more, inner thoughts that John couldn't help but stumble on. In truth John really _didn't_want to know all these things----a man's privacy was a man's privacy.

"No." Rodney said finally, shutting his eyes.

"_Yes_." Sheppard shot back wryly. Now McKay was screwing up his job, keeping John from doing what he was meant to do.

"I said no!" The physicist snapped, taking the blankets and cocooning himself in them with a roll. "You might be able to think like that, but I can't. I need study, research and more importantly---solitude." His voice was muffled---finding his little bean-like cave a satisfactory source for his so called 'solitude'. That, and it kept the light out, which he would have shut off if he'd not been feeling so lazy at the moment.

"_Uh-huh_." Sheppard continued his prying, suddenly shut in by darkness, being that Rodney's eyes wereclosed, suddenly feeling incredibly too warm. "_McKay, for a moment how about you don't be a scientist, and maybe try to be just---I don't know---a human being "_

"Which is so _not_ the point." McKay's huddled form suddenly shifted under the blanket, his voice sounding more than aggravated. "If you hadn't noticed, you're not exactly in your own body---you're in mine. And though that might be a difficult notion to grapple with; it means that _I_, not you, make up the rules." He lay still then, trying to tune the Major out---as if that were even possible.

"_Alright Skippy, I've tried to be nice about this----but you leave me no choice." _John replied sadly. Knowing there was only one thing left hecould do, and McKay was bringing this punishment on himself.

"Oh no! Don't you dare start that crap again!" Rodney's body went tense as he sat up, tearing the blanket off his head. "Do you hear me Sheppard!" That's all he needed now, after being so rudely awoken---John to start crooning again. But it was already too late to stop the inevitable torture.

From within, McKay heard John inhale deeply. "_OOOOOOOOOHHHHHH MY __BOLOGNA__ HAS A-----"_

Quickly Rodney squeezed his eyes shut, plugging his ears up with his fingers and shouting at the top of his lungs any mathematical equation he could think of. "Standard Deviation is a measure of the spread of a set of data about the mean----S equals the square root of the summation times x minus the mean squared all over n minus one."

_"FIRST NAME IS O-S-C-A-R---MY __BOLOGNA__ HAS A SECOND NAME IT'S---"_

"Chebyshev's Theorem states that minimum percentage equals one minus one overk squared timesk greater than one." But the singing continued, and McKay's voice grew ragged. Anyone outside his room hearing this would have thought the man had gone completely off his rocker.

"_M-A-Y-E-R---CAUSE OSCAR MAYER HAS __A WAY__ WITH---"_

"The Equation of the line of the best fit isy equalsmx plus b…..FINE! For the love of God we'll go!" McKay pulled his fingers from his ears, his shouting plus Sheppard's singing still rang within them.

_"__Bologna__."_ John finished with a quiet smugness. He heard the physicist's breath panting all around him felt Rodney's heart pounding in his chest. "_You know, it hurts me more then it hurts you." _

* * *

Ford was leaning over the Foosball tablebeing one of many distractions set up in the city's make-shift wreck-room. His head rested in the palm of his hand as he halfheartedly flicked the ball back and forth between the little plastic men skewered by metal rods; finding little satisfaction in it. Usually he and John would spend a good hour or two playing heated tournaments betting on paperwork duties to ridiculous things like who was king of the universe or who was ultimately cooler: Stewart or Shatner. 

Hearing a noise at the doorway, Aiden looked up to find a very disheveled looking physicist wander his way in. Hair an absolute mess, wrinkled pants, and not to mention a scowl that could make metal rust.

"Wow---I ah, didn't think you'd show up." Ford stood up straight, greeting McKay with a smile.

Making his way around a nearby couch and towards the game table, Rodney grumbled. "Well its not like I was going to be getting any sleep with Pavarotti up there serenading me----look lets just get this testosterone fueled fraternity event over with---before I have to hear another round of the Oscar Mayer song."

"_Could be worse McKay, I'm partial to 'I'm a Little Tea Pot' too."_

Ford laughed, shaking his head. "Alright! Major Sheppardusually takes blue side, so I'll be on red." He motioned excitedly to the side Rodney happened to be standing on. Squatting down, Ford began looking for the small white ball, wondering if it was hidden somewhere in the dark confines of his goal box. He was sure they weren't the last person to use it, and heprayed more then anything no one was a jerk and lost it.

McKay shifted over. "Yeah--yeah---where's the puck and the board?" He looked about, unwilling to even touch the black-gripped poles jutting out on his side of the table.

_"You're kidding me right---this ain't knock-hockey McKay."_

"Oh I'm sorry---"McKay snapped angrily. "My college didn't offer Foosball 101."

"It's pretty basic." Aiden stood back up, foosball clenched in his fist as he tossed it lightly onto the 'field'; he then proceeded to shift his players into position and explain at the same time. "Just use the poles on the side to your rightand leftto shift your guys back and forth, and hit the ball when you get a shot---aim for my goal and that's all you need to know."

"You expect me to have that kind of coordination at this time of night?" McKay fumed, shifting his weight as he leaned over giving the first rung near him and experimental twist. He watched as the little men rolled upward. It was years since he played this game, far longer then he liked to admit, and he was never good at it in the first place; hence his lack of playing. Rodney could already feel that this night was going to be filled with embarrassment.

_"Ooo…you're a real peach this time at night aren't you?"_ Sheppard mused lightly, instantly sensing McKay's real reasons to be so put-off. It wasn't just the time factor, it was his own skills that annoyed him.Perhaps hewould be merciful._"Fine, if you're going be snarky, then I'll do it---but I need control of these." _John decided to compromise, concentrating hard on lifting now, _both_ of Rodney's hands in front of the physicist's face, wiggling his fingers at him.

"What?" McKay barked, willing his hands back down where they clenched at the sides of the table. He felt his whole body shift then closer, all without his doing. As to not let on how horrified he was now, Rodney added harshly, though sounding more desperate. "You should just be glad that I came down here----this is ludicrous. I'm not going to just stand here and let you play through me."

"Uh----I don't mean to you know----be the third wheel, but the game's gonna go a lot smoother if I'm not the only one playing it." Ford raised a finger, wondering if they were every going to get this game underway.

_"Would you just relax!"_ The Major scolded; then he tried to sound more reassuring; sensing how freaked out the physicist was at the moment._ "I'm not going to break you. Besides, you just might learn something on top of it. Things like synchronization, aim, teamwork, aim, reflexes---did I mention aim?" _

"Oh hardy-har--har." McKay said dryly, crossing his arms over his chest. Refusing to let anyone, especially John do _anything_, especially with _him_—at the moment. "I'll have you know I was a master at table tennis."

"_Don't you mean ping-pong?" _

Letting out a huff, Rodney replied in a self-satisfying tone. "No John, where _I_ went to school---they called it table tennis, we were far more civilized there while you knocked rocks back and forth in your cave." If he couldn't win this argument physically, he would sure as hell try to win it verbally.

Seeing as how this was getting them nowhere, Ford chimed in. "If it helps any, the Major's real good at this game, so---you're probably going beat me." This he meant honestly. John was one of the best foosballers in the city, and Aiden rarely beat him.

McKay was silent for a moment, thinking this over. The notion began to grow on him as his expression changed. He seemed to relax some, placing his hands nonchalantly on the table this time. A small smile graced his face. "Well----in that case. But one game." The physicist warned not only Ford, but John as well. "_One_, I'm serious."

_"Perhaps."_The Major replied plainly.

"What do you mean, perhaps!" Rodney snarled back, looking off to the side as to not confuse Ford into thinking he was talking to him.

_"_He's right---we do have a lot to discuss McKay." Ford interjected, realizing the Major was on the same track he was. Even if the man was locked up in Rodney's body, John still kept abreast of the situation, maintained business as usual. Then again, that's why Sheppard was in charge of defense of the city, and that's why Aiden would follow him in to the thick of any circumstance without second thought.

If John had been standing there, McKay would have looked them both down, instead he simply turned his glare to Ford, motioning with a finger his sincerity. "I want you both to know, that I do not----_do not_ approve of this."

Aiden chuckled, preparing himself---he wondered then that since John was technically playing through Rodney if that would make a difference in his skill, maybe the young lieutenant could win a few games off him.

Sighing in defeat, the physicist rubbed the back of his head, smoothing down his ruffled hair. His stomach suddenly grumbled noisily. "You got any snacks?" Rodney asked with a wince, a hand resting on his abdomen.

"Yeah there's half eaten bag of Cheetos on the couch over there." Ford pointed towards the vacant couch sitting in the middle of the wreck-room just in front of the TV.

"Sweet." McKay exclaimed contentedly, about to make his way over to snatch up the bag when he stopped short; realizing what had just come out of his mouth. He looked to Aiden who looked as equally shocked.

"That was John, I swear." Rodney stuttered, raising a hand to his mouth, shrugging.

Aiden, with his tongue pressed up inside his cheek, snorted; unable to control his laughter. Rodney himself began to feel the hilarity of this comment creep over him too, making the physicist's chuckle turn into an all out cackle. Both men laughed for awhile, McKay swiping up the chip bag and bringing it back to the table, plopping it beside his feet. McKay quieted for a moment, listening---Ford's laughter faded as he watched the man intently, wondering if Sheppard was saying something to him.

After a moment Rodney looked across the foosball table to him, smiling wryly—a smile that one would find the Major giving more then him. "Apparently, you should prepare for defeat." McKay relaxed his arms letting them dangle at his side. Suddenly they picked back up again stretching forward as his fingers laced between one another. From within John cracked Rodney's fingers, wiggling them and placing his hands on the coated rungs; licking his lips.

Thoroughly impressed, Ford's previous thought of perhaps winning due to Sheppard's 'handicap' was put aside. This should prove interesting. "Oh." Aiden nodded to himself, rolling his neck, staring Rodney down, seeing for just a moment, a familiar gleam just behind the man's eye. "We'll see about that----sir."

McKay had to admit the idea of his hands moving beyond his control was more then disturbing. But nevertheless he relaxed, keeping his eyes on the table where John told him to; and most of all…to just sit back and enjoy the game. Something by the end, he had to admit was rather enjoyable. He only wished he could retain some of Sheppard's more, finer skills.

Throughout the night matches were won and lost, and plans were laid out; Rodney stopping every so often to jot down Sheppard's master vision of how the mission should go. It was agreed that though technically only two men were going, three would go instead. Though McKay hesitated in going, he knew well enough that the Major wouldn't hear it. If anyone was going, John was and that meant the physicist too. In truth, Rodney wanted an end to this just as much as anyone. He supposed then that if he could at least act as a sort of supervisor, that wouldn't be so bad. John simply told him, tough luck.

The hours passed on, Ford found himself on a the winning end of a eight game tournament. John, who would have blamed McKay first for fouling him up—if things were different of course—instead, commended the man openly and told him they had just about enough technicals to go to Weir.

McKay found himself back in the corridor to his room at six, the sun already beginning to rise, giving the ocean a warming glow. TheRodney couldn't help but feel oddly pleased. Though he had lost out on a few hours of quality sleep, that lost time had been replaced by something better, more fulfilling. He'd actually taken the time to spend time; even if he was at first forced. Rodney had to admit, as he shuffled back into his room, falling into a deep sleep seconds after his body hit the bed; he felt----wanted.

John sat inside the physicist's mind until the thoughts stopped swirling and quieted down; until McKay began the early fazes of dreaming. Now he himself could settle down for rest; unconsciously he thought of stretching, a good long stretch. Without warning, Rodney's body shifted, angling out his legs and arms in the same fashion Sheppard had thought of. John stopped quickly, amazed albeit shocked at what just happened. It seemed he had more control over McKay's body now then he had previously thought. This troubled the Major greatly, disturbing any notion he had of getting sleep. Instead he would ponder just how much time they had left before Rodney got 'kicked' to the back of the line, so to speak; and he took over. Maybe Beckett was wrong---maybe it wasn't a week more till McKay lost control, maybe it was soon. Too soon.

* * *

Elizabeth finished rearranging a few city reports she still had to go over on her desk and was in the process of turning round when a very hasty McKay slipped round her office door and entered; papers clutched in his hand. 

"Ah Rodney, I was just about to put a call out to you. So, have you and John come to a decision?" She greeted him with a small smile.

"Well—yes and no. What we do have is a plan, ingeniously concocted I might add." The physicist replied with a superior grin. "It was mostly the Major, but I helped with the spelling." He added, placing a hand on his hip. "It's amazing what one loses when entering the military."

Just then the hand that rested at his side dug every finger inward, making McKay bend forward with a wince. "Gahh---sorry, I take that back." His right hand loosened up, a second later Rodney composed himself with a grimace. "You lose etiquette as well."

"So, what is this, ingenious plan of yours?" Weir asked; hiding her amusement at John's slight influences. He'd been go for what seemed so long, at least in body. It was nice to know that he was with them all in mind, even if it was in Rodney's.

"Yes quite right, may I?" McKay began hastily, motioning towards Elizabeth's desk. She gave him a nod and he shifted forward, spreading the papers he'd been carrying with him out onto the desk's surface in a fan shape. He then pulled out the first document he wanted to discuss. "We know that the Yu'set have a man on the inside. Some one of authority in the A'vokien military. Goodie for us." Rodney mused slightly. "Now, how do we essentially get caught by the A'vok so badly, that they haul our butts off to prison?"

Weir said fully attentive. "I'm all ears."

Rodney looked up to her with a slick smile. "Break our agreement with the A'vok and do exactly what I wanted to do weeks ago."

"You mean go back to P2M-744?"

"Yes essentially. We'll futz around, get busted."

"Futz?" Elizabeth asked, wondering just what the man meant by it.

Rodney paused, realizing what he'd had just said; explaining it away with a scowl. "It's a Sheppardism. I regrettably find myself using them more and more." He received an understanding nod from his superior. "Anyway, you might be asking yourself how do we make sure we have our backs covered?"

Weir simply watched him, waiting.

"Well now you are." McKay waved a dismissive hand, continuing as he pulled out another sheet of paper. "If we can get into contact with the Yu'set's inside man, tell them where we're going to be on the planet, even--if we come in fully uncloaked, broad daylight so the A'vok know where there." "If the plant can pick us up and take us into the city, incarcerate us we'll have and instant in and no chance of say the A'vok using us for target practice instead."

"And after you're in?"

"After that, well…we haven't really plotted that out yet. Unless Keffis can get us some information, blueprints, anything he can about the citadel then we might have a better chance of finding our targets and getting out of there before the A'vok catch wind of us." He pulled yet another piece of paper out, placing it on top of the rest, looking at it with contempt. Weir, smiled.

"Ignore the stick-figures Elizabeth. I was tired this morning." Rodney pushed the paper aside that depicted a little man drawn in ink exiting a poorly drawn prison and towards an even poorer drawn puddle jumper; followed by several other smaller stick figure men—all with dotted-eye smiley faces,representing their hopeful success. "Worst comes to worse we stay at the prison until the day of this Gertz's execution. If we can't locate him, the Yu'set official, freeing both them and us by then---well, we come home empty handed."

"Hopefully, it won't come to that." "Rodney, I must say I'm impressed." She rested a hand on his shoulder, eyeing the shortly written procedure. "You've thought up a well executed plan—well, the beginnings of it."

_"See, I knew she'd like it." _John chimed in, a smirk in his voice.

"Well Elizabeth, It should be---you put the best brain and the best strategist in the whole city together and you get results." Rodney said nonchalantly, taking the time to rearrange the plans in order, plopping the stack back onto Weir's desk.

Elizabeth straightened herself up, adding with a hint of reproof. "I wished you two worked so well together when you were separated."

McKay paused in his fixing, making a side-long glance to her before standing up as well. "_You know Skip, she makes a good point." _Sheppard agreed; feeling a bit of guilt himself. Only until he and McKay were forced to do so, did they work as a team; it shouldn't have been like that.

"The question now is---who's going on this rescue mission?"

"That would be me and Ford." McKay replied, correcting himself a moment later. "Well, technically, me, Sheppard and..."

"I understand Rodney…." Weir lightly interrupted him."Are you sure you're up for this, we do have the man-power to send someone else; no one would think any less of you or John. Under the circumstances, it's completely understandable."

"Though that sounds exceedingly appealing---the Major and I have _amazingly _agreed with each other. This is our problem, no one else's. If anyone should attempt to fix it, it should be us."

"Well, I won't dismiss your resolve. But I do insist you take the utmost care—I'm only agreeing to this mission because it's our best and only chance so far to resolve your situation."

"I----we understand." McKay said finally, he himself wished there was more time to come with some other solution. But circumstances being as they were, left no other options.

Just then Beckett entered, quickly followed by Aiden. The physician seemed out of breath, a look of determination on his face. "OH! I'm glad I caught you both together. There's somethin' you should see."

"I passed the doc here in the hall on the way here." Ford added, pointing back to the hallway, moving in towards Weir's desk as Carson gathered them round, placing several scans and charts over McKay's plans; making Rodney frown.

"We're in serious trouble." Beckett began speaking to Elizabeth. He then looked to McKay. "Well, more to the point---you're in serious trouble."

"When am I not?" Rodney exclaimed, part of him unwilling to know what the hell was happening to him now.

Weir asked the question he refused to. "What's going on Carson?"

"I just got back the results on Keffis's physicals." The doctor began hastily, pulling a x-ray from a large folder, holding it up to the overhead lights while he explained. "At first glance when I looked at his CAT scans I thought this here, was a growth just inside the hypothalamus." He pointed to a dark spot about the size of a silver dollar. "Upon runnin' an EEG, that pocket lit up like the 4th of July---it's not a tumor, it's Ezer."

"I thought there was only electrical changes, not physical." Elizabeth replied, her eyes shifting from the spot to Beckett.

"That's what I thought too. Apparently the device, Aradis---whatever you want to call it; causes a change in the brain's structure over time. And from what Keffis has told me, the passin' is only done to young children. Rodney might act it sometimes, but he's no ten year old."

McKay gave Carson a narrow and venomous look, choosing to remain silent until he knew what trouble he was in.

Beckett raised an apologetic hand, moving on. "My point bein' is that since they're younger, they're able to retain command over their bodies." "I believe the same thing is happenin' to John and Rodney. Chances are, if I do a scan it will show an inner membrane forming here, that will develop bigger over time." "It also explains why John's been slowly gainin' the utilities that he has---" He looked to McKay then. "You said the wave hit you in the front of the head right?"

Rodney nodded. "Yeah after it went through Sheppard."

"Well, the temporal and frontal lobes are right there—meanin' the Major sees what you see, remembers your memories. They were the first to be effected. Then it extended, into your motor sections, effectin' your physical body."  
"Since John is essentially stronger, no offence Rodney---"The doctor paused, glancing to the physicist.

"None taken." McKay mumbled, crossing his arms.

"---the Major is pushin' McKay inside, this we know---now if say this transferal was done oppositely, happenin' to Sheppard instead---"

"Then John would have continued his control over his body and the process would have gone on unhindered." Weiradded as she slowly began to put the pieces together.

"Exactly." "Which is why I'm concerned. Now, physical control is one thing, John's already proved he can use McKay's voluntary movement; hence my theory of the spread. But it's the involuntary functions; breathin', heart beat that could essentially stop firin' when they switch over, when the influence hits the medulla." "I'm not sayin' it could be immediate mind you, more then likely the process will take time, like a battery runnin' down until---"

"Until I'm dead." McKay ended the thought, his legs feeling weak. He reached for one of the chairs sitting in front of Weir's desk, sitting down in it. A dazed look crossing his already pale face. He had just begun to except the fact that John was more then likely going to take him over, but at least they'd still be alive. But now, all that was changing.

"I'm sorry Rodney, I hadn't even thought about it till I saw the boy's scans." Carson replied regretfully. He turned then to Elizabeth and Aiden. "Unless John's consciousness takes over these involuntary tasks, we're lookin' at full respiratory and cardiac arrest." He finished grimly.

"So even if we do find this Gertz guy---McKay and the Major might die anyway?" Ford asked. Feeling 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' applied _far_ too well in this situation.

"If we don't transfer them back before the switch---yes" "Now, there's still a chance--though small, that John'll take over all functions in Rodney's body."

"How small is small?" The physicist spoke up, looking least then pleased at hearing any of this.

Carson paused, wincing. "Slim. I figure round twenty-five percent odds you'll both live."

"_Well I wouldn't bet on that horse."_ Sheppard replied quietly, the overwhelming feeling of dread swept over him, and this time it wasn't all McKay's doing.

"Even if they do survive the switch over Carson, you yourself said John's body was too damaged now to be livable." Elizabeth countered. She herself had been down in the infirmary early that morning, paying a visit to Sheppard. She could hardly stand to look at him.

"Aye, but that's where the good news comes in." The doctor agreed, sounding more hopeful. He proceeded to pull out a few charts, handing them around. "Keffis's internal organs are about the same as ours, but DNA tests show he's more genetically closer to say the Ancients then we are. Though the Major has a stronger ATA gene, it's not enough to deter the effects. He's still more human then the Yu'set. Even in terms of life expectancy, they only have a few years over us give or take. But it's still more."

"Before this Gertz fellow left, Keffis said there were records of him developin' healin' devices based on some of the Yu'sets knowledge of mental discipline and apothecary practices."

"There's a good chance, the Yu'set could revert enough of John's breakdown in order for his body to be stable again." "I'm not talkin' about full body healin' but enough to get him goin'; the rest will be up to him."

"Well that's wonderful." Weir replied, placing Keffis's physical specs down.

"Yeah wonderful if can even get the guy out of jail." Ford added.

"Speakin' of which, Aiden and I have discussed who'd be goin' on this little tryst of ours. And in the terms of medical safety, I think I should go in his stead." Beckett announced, catching bewildered looks from both McKay and Weir.

_"No." _

"No." Rodneyspat suddenly, at first unsure why he'djust blurted that out.Realizing that hehadn't said it,John did. He blinked, clearing his throat. "Sheppard says it's too much of a risk to let Beckett go."

"I think it's more a risk Major, if I don't go." Contested the doctor. "As I said before, who knows what sort of condition you two will be in once you transfer. I might have at least some chance of keepin' you alive Rodney if I was there. I figured I could sneak some supplies inon me."

Weir raised a hand, stopping Beckett as she turned to Aiden. "Hold on a moment, Ford, are you sure about this?"

"Yes Ma'am." Replied Ford solemnly, looking to each of them. "We're gonna to need a getaway car by the end of this, and I'm your driver. The Major's taught me a lot, and if it's alright with him---I'd like to act as backup."

"Besides you need someone who's been in the Hold before." Carson added.

Flinching, McKay rose from his seat, glaring reproachfully at the doctor. "You're not really suggestion you've been in jail are you?"

"Aye---well----for a few hours at least, when I was a lad. Got caught up in some nasty business with a childhood mate of mine back home."

"What did you two do?" Asked Elizabeth slowly, unsure if she really wanted to know.

"Us? Oh, just a little this and that. He got caught nabbin' a pack of smokes and I was guilty by association. We didn't get charged. But I did fear for my life, you should of seen our cell mates, biggest blokes I'd ever seen, not to mention most of them were missin' teeth." Beckett explained, receving some strange looks from his teammates. He explained further.  
"You see there was a wee riot over at the local rugby match, turns out…"

"I'd hardly call that experience." Rodney interrupted. This wasn't like some video game, shooting chicken monsters with ashotgun while some guy in a wheelchair screams at you that you've killed us all.

"Makes me more qualified then you." Carson fired back. Both men staring each other down for a moment until Elizabeth intervened.

"I suppose I can't convince you otherwise?" She asked finally.

"Not rightly--!"Beckett caught himself, easing his tone. "-Ma'am."

Sighing, Weir looked to McKay then. In reality it was really all Sheppard's decision, who he wanted to take with him. "John, Rodney, what do you think?"

McKay looked off, nodding ever so often to signify to the Major that he heard and understood him. John took a deep breath, trying to remain practical. _"Though I hate to admit it, the Doc has a point about us McKay, I---I don't know what's going to happen to us in the next few days. We just might need him on hand. That and he's always been complaining he never gets to go off-world." _Sheppard mused lightly before he became serious once more_. "And if the shit does hit the fan, Ford would be more useful to us on the outside. As long as we keep constant contact with one another---I'll agree to it." _Rodney opened his mouth about to convey John's message when he spoke up again without warning.

_"But I want Beckett, Ford and Teyla to meet you and me back here after Weir gets a hold of the Yu'set and we get a bit more information. I want us to go over a step-by-step plan----any screw ups can be obviously dangerous and I want everyone who's going on the ball. Understand?" _He said at last. "_Ok, now you can tell them." _

Clearing his throat McKay looked to them all. "Eight words or less, John will agree to it, but he wants Ford, Carson, Teyla and I to meet with him for a strategic overview. That is, after we've contacted the Yu'set and find out everything they have on this prison, their spy, and what we have to work with." Rodney paused, arching a brow. "alright---that was more then eight words, but you get the point."

Weir nodded. "Then I'll allow it." "I want a full and complete report on my desk by this evening. We'll prepare to say, leave tomorrow----that will give us two days for this mission. Not exactly the timeframe I would have wanted, but it will have to do. In the meantime I'll contact the Yu'set; Rodney you and of course John come with me. Good luck gentlemen." With that she left her office, McKay headed right behind her leaving Beckett and Ford.

"Wait---wait I'm actually goin'?" Carson asked as the notion suddenly seemed to dawn on him. He'd actually gotten his way.

"Seems so doc, congratulations." Ford patted him on the shoulder. "I'm going to go andtell Teyla about our plans; catch you later."

"Oh." Beckett replied, turning pale himself, not even noticing that Aiden had in fact left him alone. He was going on a mission, one of great importance---one that may or may not have meant certain death. Straight into the belly of a alien penitentiary. "Oh—dear---I think I need a sit-down." Carson nearly missed the seat behind him; he hunched over, placing a hand to his forehead as he tried to remain calm. He took deep breaths, shutting his eyes tightly. "Buggar."

* * *

To Be Continued….

P.S: Can anyone guess what PS2 game I hinted at in this chapter?


	10. Into the Lion's Den

A/N: Loooong chapter, but hopefully a good one. Enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter Ten:** _Into__ the Lion's Den

* * *

_

"Well, there _were_ three suns." Muttered the physicist under his breath as he stared crossly into the pouring rain from the safety of the temple's arched doorway. The temple itself should have been sweltering right then, it being the middle of the afternoon and all; but instead the damp air left both men trying to control their shivers.

Glancing over his shoulder, Beckett replied encouragingly. "I'm sure in a hour or two this rain'll stop and those suns will be shinin'." He was thankful to be finally drying after the hectic sprint through the storm from the Jumper to the temple that left an added chill in his bones. One he was sure would lead to some sort of irksome cold.

"Sure it will." McKay snapped lightly, rubbing his damp arms; unsure whether to remove his jacket or not. Either way he felt he'd freeze with it on or off, his shirt just as soaked as his jacket by now. "When we're captured and gagged on an A'vokien transport, maybe we'll pass by a rainbow on our way to Alcatraz." He watched the doctor then, who had wandered his way towards the nefarious device; taking up a lean against the side of its chiseled stone coffin.  
"I wish you wouldn't go near that. I don't think I can take any more _accidents_."

"But it's gone."

With an exasperated sigh Rodney hugged his arms in tightly, trying to fight the overwhelming bite in the air that day. "I know it's gone Carson, the first thing I did when we came back to this hell-hole of a planet was look in the box." It was true, he had. After Rodney had launched himself up into the temple he made a beeline for the Aradis, finding the machine was gone, ripped right out of its protective tomb. For what he figured it must have been the A'vok, doing just what he had predicted. Who knew exactly how long the device had been gone, how long it took Dran and his man to wrench it out and onto their ship he couldn't determine. But they had done so quite violently, one whole half of the thick stone box was completely demolished, and Beckett rested against the small section still remaining. The physicist thought it was like a final blow to the legacy of the Yu'set, the place had been finally stripped of all that had made it holy, made it stand the test of unforgiving time. Now the place was just another ruin. "But you never know. Besides, I don't want to_ jinx_ anything else."

_"For crying out loud Rodney. I said I was sorry like a zillion times." _The Major interjected with a bit of a whine.

"Yes, you did. But all the apologies in the world won't magically deport you from my head, now will it John?" Rodney snarked to himself, quietly enough that Carson hadn't heard him, which he was thankful for. He didn't feel like explaining anything to the doctor at the moment; too wound up on his own discomfort.

Beckett, on the other hand had taken the time to look the place over, admiring the fine stonework, tediously working his way back to where Ford had told him the graveyard was located; horrified to find that each and every stone marker, hundreds upon hundreds were desecrated. Obliterated into dust and ruble, to which the culprits had to have been the A'vok.

There was a long silence between the two men, both lost in their own thoughts before Carson heard a distant rumble, growing increasingly louder. They shared shocked expressions as McKay shot up from the broken pillar he'd been perched on; the very same Sheppard had sat on nearly two weeks before. He slipped up beside the temple's grand archway, Carson leaping to his feet and joining him on the opposite side.

Just then, the rumbling grew deafening, trembling the temple and loosening trails of dust from its vaulting ceilings. Overhead flew what McKay recognized to be an A'vokien military cruiser, one of the very same that Ford and Teyla had described passing them just before Dran and his men made their unforgettable introduction.

Carson let out an audible whistle as the cruiser crawled its way over the temple, disappearing where the jungle canopy swallowed the grey sky from view. In the distance they heard the sound of engines cutting, the blast of thrusters. Again the temple shook as a second A'vok ship slipped passed above them following the first.

"_Well, that's new." _John said with displeasure at seeing the second ship flying over through McKay's eyes, feeling the pit of the physicist's stomach twist up. "_Alright McKay, you and Beckett know the drill. Ford and Teyla are hovering just below the tree line cloaked right?" _

"Yes just like we agreed." Rodney replied, stepping back further into the temple, his momentary shock had lapsed when he realized he was being heavily dripped on.

Beckett shook himself back into the moment, glancing to McKay with a confused expression. "Pardon?"

Rodney simply pointed up towards his forehead, nodding to himself. "Got it." He said, turning his attention back to Carson. "Sheppard wants us to keep to the plan, if anything does go wrong we're to signal to Ford and he'll uncloak the Jumper, see if we can't catch the A'vok off guard."

The doctor let out a elongated shaken breath, swallowing hard as he looked out to the still torrential weather, expecting to see A'vokien soldiers start to pour from the encroaching jungle. "How long do ya suppose'll be till they get here?"

Rodney took a moment, thinking about how much time it took the A'vok to reach the temple and capture them on their first visit. "I'd conjecture about ten minutes. Why?"

"Maybe, we should greet them when they get here." Carson replied with a smirk, nodding a head out towards the clearing just beyond the temple's doors.

"You mean out there?" McKay shot back, looking inherently disturbed at the idea of waiting for _anything_ out in weather like this.

"Aye."

"In the rain?"

"Aye."

"Out _there?_!"

"No Rodney, back in the city. Of course out there!" Beckett exhaled with a lowered head before continuing. "You said it yourself that the A'vok didn't take too kindly to you bein' in here. So, why don't we cut to the chase?"

_"I like the way this man thinks."_ Sheppard contested._ "We should bring him on missions more often." _

Rodney's gaze enlarged, as he turned to his left pointing at the vacant air. "Don't you side with him! I'm out here, not you." He turned back to the doctor then, still pointing crossly. "And I think it's a very, very bad idea."

"But John agrees?" Carson raised a brow.

"Yes, but Sheppard's gone stir crazy, it's the solitude talking. He's ten cents short at the toll booth." The finger that Rodney had pointed at Beckett suddenly started turning upwards towards the ceiling. McKay's eyes went wide as his hand kept turning, the finger aimed for his eye; quickly he grabbed himself by the wrist and struggled against it. Suddenly the hand wrapped tightly around his wrist flew back and into his face, hitting him square in the nose. "GAH!" Rodney cried, clapping a hand to his face as he leaned back, growling.

Beckett let out a small laugh as he looked out the archway, eyeing the jungle line. "Oh I think the Major's of sound mind enough Rodney. But that's just my medical opinion."

"I hate you both." McKay snarled, muffled by his hand, narrowing his gaze at the doctor.

Carson was about to make his way out into the rain when he stopped suddenly, slapping a hand to his forehead. "OH bugger!" He exclaimed turning back to McKay with a cringing look.

"What now?"

"I forgot." Beckett began, sounding troubled.

"Forgot?" The physicist snapped, as if it was some foreign word. "What could you possibly forget?"

Pushing passed him, Carson headed further into the temple. "Ford wanted me to check somethin' out for him back in the cemetery but I completely forgot when I saw the place." He continued his quickened pace passing what was left of the empty stone box, waving a curt hand back at McKay. "I'll meet you outside."

"You're priorities Carson, _astound _me." McKay called after him, causing the doctor to stop in his tracks, turning back round.

"I made a promise to him Rodney and I'm goin' to keep it, I'll be back in less then a tick."

"Fine!" "You just skip off and---" He was cut short as his left foot rose off the ground and shot forward, catching Rodney in the shin of his right leg. The physicist flinched up, holding back a yelp; to which came out a strained. "Son of a b---"

_"Quit screwing around. He said he'll be back now get out there before this whole plan goes to hell." _Sheppard interrupted the man's curse, sounding less then pleased at the aspect of Beckett leaving in the first place, Rodney's stalling only added to the situation. But there wasn't much he could do from in there except yell at Carson inside of McKay, have the physicist relay that back to the doctor, and waste even more time.

Clenching his jaw, McKay turned for the door pressing on his earpiece; leaving it switched on to help in their supervision. "Ford, this is McKay---we're going to wait _out side_ for the A'vok. Just, be on your guard." With that, Rodney limped his way reluctantly into the downpour.

* * *

It seemed, that after one gets completely soaked to where even their skin feels waterlogged, the excess rain falling on you, is basically ineffectual. McKay found this out first hand as he waited in the storm, watching the tree-line into the clearing. He felt that he would never dry out now, and nothing mattered anymore except the mission, not even his own comfort. How un-McKay of him. John had already tapped into the physicist's physical mechanics but now he was hindering his self-centeredness? 

"It's not fair." Rodney said aloud, rain running down his nose, his body so saturated that he was barely able to feel anything but the weight of his drenched clothing.

He heard trotting behind him, footfalls sloshing on the muddy ground coming towards him. Beckett nearly skidded up to the physicist's side, finding little traction. He was in the process of shoving something metallic into one of his many vest pockets. The doctor, decked out in his own set of fatigues for off world missions had so many storage places on him, he ran out of uses for them.

"See, that wasn't so long, now was it?" Carson said a bit out of breath, receiving a glaring look from McKay. Beckett was about to defend his actions when he caught movement on the corner of his eye. Both men turned their attention to the thick, smothering jungle to find three equally sodden A'vokien soldiers entering into the clearing, energy guns up and aimed.

McKay squinted through the blinding rain as more came crawling out of the wood work, those three followed by several others, all burnishing their advanced weaponry, all pointed at them.

Doing his best, Beckett raised his hands up in surrender, considering—and not for the last time, that perhaps going on this mission was a bad idea. There was no turning back now, but the thought of a cloaked Jumper floating a few yards from them, watching over the 'arrest' was of little comfort to the doctor at the sight of those guns.

The armed soldiers seemed to follow behind one A'vok in particular and as the man came closer. It took a moment for Rodney to recognized him as the man Teyla had floored back in the temple. McKay's eyes narrowed as the A'vok stopped nearly a yard in front of him, smiling pretentiously.

The lad, who must have been in hislate twentiescocked a dark brow, the rain seemed unaffecting to his pitch-black hair, slicked to one side; his pale features looked even bleaker from the hazy atmosphere, the only color to him was a flushness to his cheeks and long, well defined nose. "Perhaps my commanding officer wasn't clear enough to the terms of your release. Or perhaps you think it wise to try and test our patients--" He continued, turning his dark eyes towards the heavens, waving one hand while the other was resting behind him. "—which has its limits."

McKay let out a dismissive chuckle. It was his luck that something must have gotten screwed up with this plan of theirs and if it wasn't Dran there to rub it in their faces, it was his toady. "Yeah, I recall the extents of your patients. How's the arm by the way?" Rodney added smugly. "Looks sore."

The A'vok officer's smile faded into a noticeable glower as he followed the physicist's glance. He then tucked the arm near his back further behind it with a painful wince, replying distastefully. "Mending. I'd like to _personally_ thank your female friend for it, but more to the point _where is_ the rest of your team?"

Beckett watched the interplay between the two men carefully. He raised a cautious hand, waving the A'vok's attention towards him. Carson's face paled as he blinked through the rain. "It's just us actually."

The officer looked them both over, gauging their sincerity and finding it lacking. "And why should I believe that?" He asked with a wry smile, obviously unconvinced.

McKay gritted his teeth, moving his steely gaze from one A'vokien soldier to another. Keffis had informed them, when they finally contacted the Yu'set about their plans to accept the mission; that the A'vok spy would let themselves be known when the time was right. Now, as the physicist stared down each gun barrel pointed at him, he couldn't tell friend from foe. And the cloak and dagger routine was starting to wear on his already frayed nerves. "Listen---" He bit back finally, looking the officer right in the eye. "---obviously you've caught us. _Again_. So why don't we cut the superficial chit-chat and get this over with?" Rodney proceeded to release the clenching grip he had on his firearm, raising both hands upwards, wrists to the sky as a sign of surrender.

Ford watched the scene just below with unyielding tension, waiting for even a hint of the meeting turning sour to follow through with Sheppard's 'plan B'. Which, consisted of as John put it—blowing the shit out of the bad guys, and running away--- a plan Aiden had thoroughly agreed to. He sat at the controls, his fingers hovering above the cloaking symbols as Teyla stood nearby, observing worriedly. In both their ears, they eavesdropped on the conversation between the A'vokien officer and McKay with bated breath.

Over their intercoms they heard the officer's voice, low and oddly pleasant sounding. "Very well, on your knees."

"What?" Aiden exclaimed quietly, shooting up in his seat.

McKay's face fell. "What!"

_"What?" _Sheppard echoed in the physicist's ears.

The A'vok's eyes glimmered beneath his dark lashes, an almost satisfied smile on his thin lips as he reiterated, speaking in a straightforward tone. "I said, on your knees gentlemen. Perhaps when your people receive your bodies they'll learn the weight of an agreement." He gestured with a hand, his good one, and two of the armed soldiers crossed from behind him stepping forward. Beckett raised his hands higher as one soldier came up beside him and forced him down onto ground, Carson's knees sinking quickly into the muddy earth.

Rodney found himself meeting the same treatment, a hand gripped into his shoulder pushing him downwards, he rebelled. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" He snapped, fighting against the A'vok behind him.

The officer simply nodded, giving his man the go-ahead. McKay suddenly felt a boot smack up into the pit of his knee buckling it and the physicist dropped harshly to the ground with a grunt. Carson watched as the man aimed for him shifted out of his sight, but could still feel the A'vok looming at his back. They heard the ping of electronics warming up as the A'vokien gunners took aim. Beckett shut his eyes.

McKay stared up at the officer, clenching his jaw and unaware that the rain had finally calmed down, drizzling gently. "You're making a big _mistake_." He scowled; glancing off to his right for a brief moment.  
Carson winced up as he felt the barrel of a gun pressing softly into the back of his skull.

Above them Ford was hunched over the control panel, Teyla firing him an exasperated look. "Why are we not uncloaking?" She asked suddenly, confused by the lieutenant's pause.

Ford, keeping his eyes glued to the happenings below replied quickly, unwilling to break his concentration. "I have to wait for the signal remember?"

"But they will shoot them! What other signal do you need?" The Athosian shouted back.

The lieutenant glanced at her briefly, his voice determined and unflinching. "He's feeling out the situation is all, that's what the Major would do. McKay knows the plan, and I trust him." With that, Ford turned back to the Jumper's vast window, gulping down the anxiety he was desperately trying to hide. Teyla sat in silence, finding she could say no more; resigning herself to watch the events unfold below.

"Mistake." They heard the A'vokien officer say, through Rodney's earpiece. He seemed to mull the word over for a moment. "I believe the only mistake made, was trusting your people. A imprudent and inferior species; unable able of honoring a simple request. What Commander Dran saw in you, I'll never understand." He then turned his dark eyes to the solider standing behind the physicist. The A'vok dug his gun barrel further, forcing McKay's head downward and his gaze to the rain soaked ground.

Moments passed like hours, the jungle around them silent except for the scattered splats of raindrops running off damp leaves, hitting the undergrowth below. Beckett held his breath, running a silent prayer through his mind as he waited, waited for final end.

"On second thought." Said the officer, raising a finger.

Carson cracked an eye open, listening intently; Rodney clenched his fists finding this treatment right along the lines of torture and let out a shaken breath.

"Othalin might serve as a better teacher, after you've wasted away a few years there." He said curtly motioning for his men to stand down. McKay felt himself jerked back on his feet, mud clinging to his pants uncomfortably as he settled down, rolling the kink out of his neck. Beckett followed suit, his knees feeling wobbly under his own weight.

The doctor spoke up then. "Prison?" He asked the obvious, but from what the A'vok had called it, Othalin could have meant anything. And it was better to be safe then, well, sorry.

The A'vokien head officer watched as each man was disarmed, one of his soldiers handed Rodney's firearm directly to him. He looked it over with a raised brow, curious about its design. He replied lightly, handing the gun back to his unit. "One of many ways to describe it."

"Secure these two in the lead transport---" He instructed. Beckett tensed as his arms were pulled backwards and wrists bound up forcefully. "---go with the rest of the men in the other." The officer finished, getting a strange look from one of the soldiers.

Catching the expression he continued. "I think I'll deliver them to Commander Dran myself." A smug smile crossed his face now speckled in dull sunlight as the clouds above finally broke.

McKay and Beckett were lead, by the arms through the mud and away from the temple, the A'vokien officer following close behind, taking one last look towards the ruin as if searching for some other presence; though quickly turned back and continued on.

Carson found himself being escorted back into the thick and smothering jungle before he knew it, keeping a careful step not to trip on the wild undergrowth, though he did anyway. The walk was long and the silence was about as uncomfortable as the bonds around the doctor's wrists. He spotted light ahead through the clusters of brush and towering tree, showing signs of a clearing a few yards in front of them. Though the canopy above looked unbroken, the A'vok must have found a large enough gap to slip the ships in. Before long Beckett and McKay were guided towards the cruisers they had seen passing over head what seemed like ages ago, unceremoniously dragged into the closest one.

They passed over a grated ramp leading up into the transport ship, and were greeted by the cold dark encasings of metal and pipe. The ship itself was much larger then a Puddle Jumper, though the interior lacked the wide spaces of them. The two men were made to walk down a cramped corridor into a large containment room that looked as if it were some sort of navigation center. Screens and maps littered the walls, several consoles of blinking lights and diagrams were stationed about to fill the room. This they quickly passed, McKay himself shoved through another short corridor when he slowed down to admire the A'vok's technology.

After two short corners, the hallway branched off forward into a dark metallic door and to the left down another small alcove. McKay watched as the door slid open with a soft swoosh and he was pushed inside, he turned enough to send an unappreciative glare to the solider leading him. Both men were forced into the room before them, a short curved ceiling along with the walls were cast in slate colored metal, the floors were a crisscrossing mass of layered thin-rod grating; which clanged dully under their boots.

Along each longer wall of the rectangular room were benches, only slightly bucketed for seating purposes, seven seats to each bench. Rodney and Carson were made to sit, side by side on one of the benches, their hands unbound.

Before McKay could make any exclamation, he was suddenly restrained once more. Several thick metal couplings opened, raised, and closed around his limbs. Binding his ankles to the bottom of the bench, his hands to his sides, and his neck to the wall. He tested the give of the binds by shifting lightly, finding himself utterly stuck. Carson, to his left was restrained in the same manner. The A'vok soldiers checked the fittings then proceeded to leave, door sliding shut and locking behind them.

"Well this---" Rodney grunted as he gave up his struggle, relaxing into their obvious capture. "---for lack of a better word, sucks."

Trying to turn his head, but finding it impossible; Carson had to shift his gaze over in order to see McKay's blurry figure in the corner of his eye. "Sucks? This is inhuman. I've got such an itch on my nose---" The doctor suddenly fell silent, looking about. "You feel that?"

Rodney replied with a sigh. "We're moving." They felt the ship gently vibrate around them, the sound of distant thruster blasts hummed in their ears. Perhaps that was the final realization of what they had done, there was no turning back now.

"Not now." McKay said after a moment, shifting with a look of immense discomfort.

Beckett arched his eyes to his right, wiggling his nose to try and sooth the nagging feeling away. "What's the matter?"

Rolling his eyes, the physicist resorted to tapping his feet on the ground. "I've gotta pee."

"_Don't you always?" _Sheppard finally spoke up, spooking McKay slightly.

"About time you decided to join us Major." Rodney replied in frustration, pushing his back into icy metal wall behind him which felt even colder since he was still soaked. He tried to put less pressure on his bladder. "So now what?"

_"We wait." _John sighed, seeming as if he was sitting back in the physicist's mind. _"What really bothers me is this whole---inside guy thing. I know we have to keep them undercover but, this is ridiculous. Who are we supposed to trust, hell I thought we were as good as dead back there." _

Suddenly the tight metal bonds around each man unclamped and slipped back into their indented slots. McKay rubbed at his wrists while Carson looked around questioningly. At that moment the door to the room slid open, revealing nothing but a narrow empty hallway.

"_Ok, I don't know about you guys---but I'm confused." _Sheppard said puzzled, finding himself able to move, though more like McKay was able to move ergo so was he.

Rodney looked to Beckett, who shrugged, each man wondering if they should chance leaving or not when without warning there was a voice, coming from some hidden intercom system on the ship. "If you'd be so kind as to head to the bridge doctors." Came the voice of the A'vok officer.

Standing up wearily Rodney was about to head towards the door when he was stopped, Beckett's hand on his arm holding him back. He turned to the doctor.

"You think it might be a trap?" Carson asked hesitantly.

The physicist thought this over, coming back with a frown. "How more stuck do you expect us to get?"

"Good point." Beckett nodded, trying to reassure himself. He let out a long, troubled breath. "You first."

Narrowing his gaze, McKay lead the way back to what he thought was a type of navigational room, halting there. To their right was the hatch in which the entered the ship so, through process of elimination the door up ahead should lead to the bridge. He made his way round the control stands to the sliding door standing before it. He was checking the frame around door for some sort of sensor when suddenly the panel slid open revealing the transport's cockpit.

Before them was a short balcony, railed by a single pole of metal that opened at the left and right most sides to three squatted steps. From that lay the main bridge, which consisted of four seats arranged in a V formation, the first two seats, by the controls were closer to one another while the other two were spread further apart. Each at what seemed their own control stations. The room was a mass of buttons and lights, glowing control panels leading to a grand expansive front window that must have been at least four yards wide. The window was rectangular, though its edges were rounded and the glass itself seemed curved inward with the design of the ship.

Just out the window, McKay could see that the military cruiser was slowly approaching the Stargate which was suspended in the side of a towering cliff. Though the ring was empty and dark at the moment.

"I hope the ship is impressive." Came the voice of the officer again, this time in the room with them. One of the tall backed chairs swiveled round to reveal the man who had nearly put them to death. He sat just in front of a massive control panel though in the right most seat in the first row. The A'vok motioned for them to come deeper into the bridge. "You can enter if you want; I'm sure you'll find the seating is far more comfortable here then back in the holding cell."

"Wait one damn minute!" McKay held his ground, Beckett inching up behind him. The physicist was starting to put two and two together. "Who the hell are you?"

The A'vok let out a small laugh, hitting a few symbols on the smooth, glowing consol in front of him, taking his time for he was doing so with his injured arm, and then turned the rest of the way around; standing up. He bowed shortly. "I am Lieutenant Commander Malic Norweg." He then looked from one man to the other. "And you I remember are, Doctor Rodney McKay so that must mean---you are Doctor Beckett." Norweg pointed towards Carson.

Beckett cleared his throat, shifting pass Rodney and up to the railing of the balcony. "So I'm presumin' you're the Yu'set spy?"

Norweg held up a hand, lightly correcting him. "A'vok, but yes---I'm your contact."

Hearing this, Rodney's face grew flustered; he stalked across the grated balcony and down the steps standing in front of Malic in a matter of seconds. "Who's bright idea was it to try and execute us back there!" McKay cried, holding a thumb over his shoulder. "You seemed to really get off stringing us around!"

The A'vok nodded to himself, realizing the reason for the man's understandable anger. "I apologize to you both. But, under the circumstances I need to keep on the act of the subservient soldier. Anything less or more could compromise my situation; our---situation. You must understand it was for routine purposes only."

"Routine? ROU---I was _five seconds _away having my ship open fire---"

Norweg raised a hand pardoning hand. "Doctor McKay. I know for a fact that you have seen, spoken, and dealt with Sylis Dran. He's not a man to take lightly by any means. For the safety of both yourselves and I, for this mission there must be no acceptations; nothing must look in the least suspicious. Now, I recognize your aggravation but keeping up this act is a necessity." Norweg calmed himself, straightening his coat as he turned his eyes back up Rodney. He added softly, sounding most heartfelt. "It's a very treacherous game we play here Doctor, I've risked much for it. But it's the justifiable one; I'll leave this life with no regrets."

"Well----well alright then." McKay stammered, realizing his reprimand was a bit arrogant but still accepted by the A'vok. He couldn't think of what else to say other then. "I'm glad we got that out in the open. We're on the same page, this is good."

Just beyond them the ship halted, symbols lighting themselves up on the console in front of Norweg's vacant seat. The gate just ahead came to life, washing forth the gleaming horizon in no time. The A'vok excused himself and quickly made his way back to his chair, pressing several buttons, glancing over cryptic readings as they came to him.

"We'll be at Temmerist within the hour, I'd suggest you men take a seat." Malic said to the vast window as he guided the ship through the Stargate. Beckett trotted over to a seat in the back row, settling in while Rodney did the same.

"What'll happen when we get there?" Beckett asked just before they went through.

"The game plays on." Replied Norweg as he sat back in his seat, shutting his eyes to the immense glow of the horizon as it engulfed the ship; drawing them all in and through the wormhole.

* * *

Within mere moments the A'vokien transport had crossed to the other side. McKay stood up and slipped his way up to the front of the deck, taking a seat to the left of Malic. The gate to this particular planet opened up right into a city square. Beckett got up himself, his curiosity getting the better of him. 

"My, my." He said in astonishment. "That's quite a little establishment you have here."

"This gentlemen, is Temmerist the largest capital city out of any in the A'vokien ruled planets." Norweg said proudly, running his hands over the consol to set the transport in what seemed to be an autopilot. The ship made a slow crawl over the square, raising up to enter a line of other airborne ships heading this way and that in what was like a flying intersection. "Upon the emperor, Lord Brasha's inauguration these flyways will be shut down; nearly the whole population of the city will gather in this square."

"Dran was right." McKay mumbled to himself, in awe of the sights. "Which I hate to admit to, but this place dwarfs Atlantis tenfold."

He watched the other transports, of various sizes and makes passing them by. People walked the stone and metal etched streets below by the packs as building upon building rose up like trees in a forest everywhere one looked; their vast windows gleaming in the sun-drenched sky. Three suns to be exact which lead Rodney to believe that this plant was in the same system as P2M-744, the planet containing the Yu'set temple. He wondered then just how many of these planets were once inhabited by the more peaceful race, how many temples, villages, homes, might be buried beneath these city streets.

"Well maybe they'll let us sight-see after we're incarcerated." Carson joked lamely, getting a chuckle from Malic.

_"Alright guys, enough with the small talk. I want to know exactly what's going to happen once we get to this Othalin. Ask him McKay." _

Rodney managed to rip his eyes away from the breathtaking city to ask the questions that were on both his and John's mind. "So what sort of trial system does the A'vok follow?"

_"Yeah, there's a good start." _Sheppard commended him.

"Trial?" Norweg repeated, setting the last of his orders to the ship before he swung round to look at both of his 'prisoners'. "Only high criminals see trial, all others are impounded."

"You mean to tell us that----we're automatically guilty?" Beckett stammered.

The A'vok nodded, adding. "Basically, if we think you've done something wrong, you have---even if you haven't."

"Guilty until proven innocent." Rodney grumbled, rubbing a hand on his chin. "Well, that's not unheard of, but wouldn't call it fare, nor intelligent. What exactly is going to happen to us?"

Malic glanced at the consol for a moment before answering. "We have limited time before we reach the citadel. I'll explain as much as I can. First upon entering, you will be searched and cataloged, your crimes recorded for governmental purposes before your internment. Then there's sentencing."

"I don't like the sound of that." Carson muttered restlessly. "Say for curiosity sake, how long do you think they'd lock us up for?"

Norweg was silent for a moment, seeming to be calculating their circumstances. "You've broken about four different A'vokien regulations, also Dran has you on file---this I know for sure. Taking into the account that you came freely without struggle---" He looked then to Beckett. "Around eight cycles."

"EIGHT!" the doctor exclaimed, calming himself. "Eight years for trespassin'. Back home it was a fine and a slap on the hand."

"Eight is really inconsequential Doctor Beckett, in most cases even stealing arguers death."

_"Nice system they got here. Remind me not to get any wild ideas." _

"After you're sentenced, you'll be taken to your cell and given your penitential clothing. There is a lunch siren, dinner, and sleep regiment upon the end of the third period."

McKay had to ask. "Third period?"

"I'm sure you've both noticed there are several suns this planet orbits around. As each one passes it is considered a period: first, second, and third. The end of the third period brings nightfall." Malic replied punching up a small, animated diagram on a darkened panel between them; the glowing images depicted a foreign solar system consisting of several planets all orbiting around three large suns. The A'vok went on to explain further. "Inmates have a short recess period at the end of the second period before dinner." He tapped a finger to the second largest sun as it crossed over the planet the diagram was zoomed in on, pausing the playback.

"Well at least the A'vok aren't complete barbaric." McKay said sardonically, more then interested in examining the control panels of the transport, though he knew well enough this wasn't the time; and he was starting to except that there probably wouldn't ever be _a_ _time_ either.

Norweg arched a brow, combating the physicist's sarcasm with stone seriousness. "Trust me." He began, drawing Rodney's attention away from the console. "Othalin will alter any conception you have of prison. I don't know how your people deal with your criminals, but the A'vok ideal of reforment is merciless to say the least."  
"Now, you have looked over the penitentiary's plans I assume?"

"Yes, Carson and I have a good idea how to work this search. What we need you to do, is get in contact with the Yu'set and give them the coordinates to this planet, if they don't have it already. And they'll in turn send it to us back at the city. After that it's more of a matter of finding this Gertz guy and hopefully the High Mave and getting back out in one piece." McKay thinned his lips, adding. "Hypothetically."

_"Glad you have faith in the plan Skippy. I was worried for a moment there." _

"Oh I have total fate Major. That we're all going to die." Rodney shifted his eyes toward his furrowed brow, openly conversing with John.

Norweg watched the one sided interchange while it lasted. He had seen such behavior countless times before and thought nothing strange about it. "So you do carry someone inside your mind." He spoke up, motioning towards the physicist's head. One of the Yu'set had mentioned to him about McKay's current 'delicate situation' and what to expect. "That must be difficult." Though he himself had never used the mind-transferal device—what his people referred to it as---he knew the effects the machine had. Malic unpleasantly recalling the process afterwards that he'd seen countless times more, dispelling of minds into an unjustified death.

"You have no idea." McKay replied sourly, his head resting into the palm of his hand; without warning that hand pulled away, thumb and middle finger curling together to flick the physicist in the temple. "AH!" Rodney hissed, rubbing the offending hand into this scalp before he exploded to no one. "Alright _that's it_! That's the last one Major, you hear me up there! I don't care how much you want out, how held up you are, this is still _my _body. And the only person that is going to do any harm to it, is myself!" He snapped, regaining his composure when he saw the looks both Beckett and Norweg were giving him.  
"Sorry." He muttered uncomfortably, again rubbing the still tingling flesh John had struck.

"He's had a bad couple of weeks." Carson added apologetically, though with a noticeable smirk on his face. "You'll have to excuse him." He mused.

Malic couldn't help but chuckle himself. These newcomers seemed to have a bond that could overcome any problem. The A'vok was intrigued by their sensibility and attitudes. If circumstances had been different, he might have enjoyed meeting more of these, humans. "It's good that your spirits are high, you'll need that once you're inside the citadel" Norweg said, sobering himself. "We're almost there, I sorry to have to put you back in the holding cell but…"

Standing up, Rodney waved a dismissive hand. "Yes, yes. For show." He patted Beckett on the shoulder getting him up as well as both men made their way from the cockpit back up to the entrance. Along the way they heard Norweg call back to them.  
"I'll join you gentlemen in a moment."

* * *

Carson sat down after McKay exactly where they had been placed before, he let out a soft sigh preparing himself for the inevitable restraints. After a moment more the door to the holding cell slid open and there stood Norweg, an eager look on his face. 

"Alright now." He said softly walking up to a panel of controls that were stationed near the entryway, he raised a finger looking to his 'prisoners'. "Try to relax."

"Easy for you to say." Rodney sat back wearily, doing his best to get comfortable. "You don't have to be clamped down to a chair."

"I'll try and be gentle." Malic said reassuringly but he knew as well as his new acquaintances, there was nothing gentle about the security system in the transport. With that, he pressed a button on the panel causing the thick metal couplings to shoot forward locking down both men. Rodney grunted, not liking the feeling what so ever.

The A'vok crossed the short distance to them and gave a few experimental tugs at the built-in shackles. Finding the hold satisfactory, he stepped over to the opposite wall feeling for something. With the flick of some hidden switch, a long strip of metal just above the bench slid open revealing open air and sunlight.

"I'm afraid it's the only comfort I can afford you doctors. You'll be able to get a good look at the citadel from here." He pointed out the window then took a moment looking about, seeming to be mentally checking that everything was in order. "I'll try and reach you at some point once inside Othalin, once you've been settled in."

"You're not goin' with us?" Carson asked, trying to remain as still as possible, any movement only added to the discomfort of the restraints. Then again, supposed criminals shouldn't exactly sit in the lap of luxury. He wondered then how many people sat in this seat before him, and how many would after words.

Shaking his head, Norweg replied sadly. "From here on out, you're on your own. I wish there was more I could do. Just remember your criminals now and you'll be surrounded to the thick with them. Watch yourselves at all turns, try not to be separated." Malic sighed, running a calming hand over his slicked hair, tugging at his uniform to a presentable fashion.

"My task now is to inform Commander Dran of your capture. You're lucky we're in the middle of a inaugural, most of the A'vokien armed forces are busy with security for Emperor Brasha's ceremony." With that, Norweg headed towards the door, turning round to add. "I'll get in contact with the Yu'set contingent with your requests Doctor McKay. Best of luck to you both, forgive me in saying that you'll need it."

McKay watched as the A'vok took his leave of them, the holding pen's door closing heavily like the strike of a gavel. The physicist wasn't even in jail yet and he already felt imprisoned. "You know for a traitor, he's a pretty nice guy."

"I think Malic's very brave, doin' what he's doin'. Traitor or not, he's got in mind what's right. It's us I'm worried about. I mean, how in the----good lord." Carson trailed off as his eyes went wide, words fumbling from his mouth as his lips hung open.

McKay, who had been looking at the doctor from out the corner of his eye, followed Beckett's gaze, seeing instantly what had shocked the man so.

There just out side the slit of a window, what must have been nearly thirty yards away yet stretched into the sky like it were three yards away instead was what Norweg called Othalin, the great A'vok citadel.

The building itself, if you could call it a building for it looked more like a monstrous growth jutted out of a large plane of water; who knew how many leagues deep. The water was still and dark, slapping up around the circular edge of the prison; this rose itself at least fifty feet above the water level, tapering off into a massive flattop of what looked like walkways. As the transport grew closer, they could see less and less of the hideous structure.

Rodney sat, clenching his fingers at the edge of the bench, from his side he actually heard a dry swallow come from Beckett.

Suddenly the transport touched down, the sound of grinding gears and mechanics could be heard outside, followed by several vibrating tremors through the transport. Before long they could hear voices outside, many voices in fact. Shouting, cursing, growling and the distant hum of what sounded possible like energy rifle fire.

Sheppard heard all this through McKay's ears, deciphering it over the almost deafening pounding of the physicist's heart.

"_Take it easy Skip, we'll get through this, you just gotta keep a level head alright?" _

"Right; what do you have to worry about?" Rodney frowned as he heard the strain of the entry hatchway to the cruiser opening. "You're in there, I'm out here."

_"Trust me Rodney---it's just as intimidating in here as it is out there. We all agreed to this, it's the only way you and I might see next week. Now come on--- I'm siked, how about you?" _

"Remind me, if we survive this that is---to have Elizabeth transfer me to another team." With in the physicist's mind he heard John laugh, the first real laugh he'd heard from him in the longest time. Strangely enough, it was comforting. About as much comfort he could find as several A'vokien soldiers suddenly came pouring into the holding cell, guns raised and aimed at them—from somewhere outside someone shouted for the prisoners to be removed, and what sounded like 'placed on line'.

Beckett and McKay were removed from their bonds, and dragged from the transport out into the open air. McKay found the breeze refreshing to say the least, his time on the ship had dried him out to the point that the sun was now too warm on his back. He found himself blinded at first, wincing his eyes from the shine of light off the water behind him, the sky above a cloudless endless blue. The air tasted salty and warm though this fazed him little at the sight before him.

From the circular platform he had spotted earlier, hundreds upon hundreds of docking platforms sprouted out along its circumference. The very transport they arrived in was secured to such a bay, rusted metal meeting black dull stone. From then on there were several long walkways, what Rodney assumed was what the man outside referred to as 'on line'. These were in fact long moving conveyer like strips, running for several yards towards the citadel. He and Carson were herded towards one and shoved on it; Beckett catching McKay by the coat sleeve as the physicist began to fall forward from the jerking movement of the walkway. When he steadied himself, Rodney took in more of his surroundings.

He stood just behind a grizzled fellow, smelling quite ripely of trash, long tangles of greasy gray hair trailed out from under a stained black cap. They passed progressively under a running overhang of mesh, arching above their heads and leaving just enough room for both men to stand up straight. McKay turned as best he could, looking out the weathered grating as it slipped by, seeing several other of the same type of walkways on either side of them, filled to the brim with other prisoners. He felt more like a sheep being directed to a slaughterhouse then a felon.

Just ahead of them, Rodney saw a strange array of people, or more to the point aliens. Species he couldn't even begin to describe, things that made even the Wraith look more natural. They all stood on line, waiting, moving without moving towards the citadel that loomed over them all, seeming to condemn them on site. Rodney for a moment realized that Norweg was right, his perception on prison would be altered forever.

Othalin rose up into the sky like a spiraling pillar of black stone and metal. Countless floors swelled up within it, crudely constructed smoke stacks bellowed thick dark clouds into the vast sky, marring it. He turned round then, looking over Beckett's shoulder back out the way they had entered, which seemed miles away now. McKay couldn't even see the transport anymore, nor the end of the citadel's docking platform. All he could see was the far off line of the city; he thought it strange to put such a place smack dab in the middle of a over-populated city. But then again, maybe it was like that for a reason, perhaps the A'voks had no fear of any criminal escaping back into the city once he or she was enclosed within the walls the citadel. This put a chill straight up the physicist's back; he didn't even realize that he and Carson were in fact coming to the end of the walkway.

Rodney felt a hand clamp around his shoulder, hoisting out from under the seclusion of the grated arch, out into the open. He found himself barrel to face with an A'vokien rifle; quickly raising his hands in defense.

The guard that had yanked him out pushed him now towards a long upward rising flight of stairs. Their walkway, like all the others were railed off, basically to keep the prisoners in an orderly line up into the citadel. McKay hesitated for a moment, before Carson was pulled into him, causing both men to stumble forward.

"I said move!" Shouted the guard, motioning up the stairs. "Go on!"

Just then Rodney heard a commotion to his left, there was a hail of gunfire as several guards took down a large beast like creature, obviously not willing to follow the orders given to it. The creature took several energy blasts to the chest before it dropped, smashing into the railing before crumpling to the ground in a massive heap.

"Move it!" Snarled the guard as Rodney felt the butt of a gun lodged into his side. He hurried up towards the stairs, keeping his eyes forward, hearing Carson huffing behind him. All around them were the shouts of A'vokien guards, growls of aliens and humanistic beings alike, each railed line merging into to the penitentiary.

Beckett counted at least a hundred steps before they reached the doors, arching nearly fifteen feet above them, the light within dim and wavering. Inside the air was much cooler, though smelled faintly of the morgues back on earth; a smell Carson could never forget after his first few years in medical school where he was introduced to the smell of a cadaver. The air was stale, unmoving, sweltering with the amount of bodies cramped into one area.

As they moved up in the slow precession to the door, Carson watched as Rodney was roughly pulled forward and under what looked like some sort of strangely constructed metal detector. He was made to stand there for a moment as two arms shifting out of the metal arc ran down the physicist in a parallel fashion, his body flashed with a yellow light that seemed to be scanning him. The bars passed down to his feet then back up, slipping back into the arch. An A'vok, standing in front of a console gave a nod, waving a hand. Rodney was ordered to move forward as the doctor was shoved under the scanner.

To that point, Carson had completely forgotten the supplies he had hidden on him; and with a sudden, sickening recognition he held his breath, wincing at the painful brightness of the inspection bars.

They passed down his head toward his chest and Beckett held his breath, waiting for them to catch him. There was a sudden loud alarm when the beams ran over his vest pockets; a guard quickly latched onto him, ripping him nearly off his feet.

The A'vok at the console patted his left side and the guard followed suit tearing open the offending pocket. The man dug his fingers inside, pulling out a small circular charm suspended on a length of brown cord. He looked the necklace over with a perplexed expression, holding it out to the A'vok at the console; who gave him a shrug.

"What's this?" He barked, shoving the band in Carson's face.

Beckett's mind swarmed, grasping at anything he could think up to explain the jewelry in his pocket, which was in fact—what Ford had asked him to investigate; the doctor finding the charm lodged into the huge tree that grew in the very center of the cemetery back at the temple. "It's---" Carson stammered, jerked by the guard for an answer. "It's just a little bobble, somethin' from the misses back home. It's nothin' really!" He squeaked out.

The A'vok guard looked from the doctor to the necklace clenched in his gloved hand before slapping it into Beckett's chest and shoving him along. McKay got a hold of Carson and pulled him back on line behind him. The doctor looked relieved to say the least, quickly tucking the charm back into his pocket. Unknowingly it had saved his skin, for the A'vok guards didn't bother to scan any more of him, too wrapped up in moving the now welling mass of prisoners behind him along. The medical supplies still sat nestled in the pocket of his pants. He let out a heavy sigh, catching a funny look from Rodney.

"What the hell was that all about?" He hissed, shuffling along.

"Never you mind, just be thankful they didn't find what else is on me." Beckett whispered back; looking ahead now at what awaited them.

The slow procession lead up to and A'vok far in his years, hair speckled with grey, thin-rimmed spectacles resting on a withered and stubby nose. The wrinkles round his mouth suggested he was at habit to constantly frown. This A'vok sat high above them behind a desk, he seemed to be typing away---clouded eyes narrowing as he tried to read what he had recorded. The prisoners up a head moved one by one up to this desk, McKay could hear the A'vok's raspy voice barking questions, gnarled fingers pointing either left or right after a moment; that prisoner was then dragged away in that direction, the choice of two doors on either side of the desk. Rodney was about to remark who the man reminded him of to Carson when suddenly he felt eyes upon him. The physicist looked down to see the stringy hair man in the black cap staring back up at him.

The man, stubble-chinned and wild eyed looked half insane to Rodney. He squinted at him, rubbing a smudged finger over his chin making the most annoying scratching sound. "You're very clean." Remarked the grizzled man, jabbing a clammy finger into McKay's shoulder. "And healthy too. Whatcha in for?" His left eye widened greatly, a sneering grin on his face.

McKay backed up slightly, grimacing at the man's fetid breath. He glanced back at Carson muttering: "The man is in desperate need of a Mento." The physicist turned round again, the wild-eyed man still grinning presumptuously at him as he hobbled backwards to keep with the movement of the line.

Rodney stared the weirdo down, taking on a harden expression. "I ah----killed fifty men. With a compact internally heated victuals device."

The convict's brow furrowed, obviously confused as to what Rodney was talking about. But his mind seemed to grasp the hefty number of McKay's supposed crime; he nodded vigorously, rubbing his oily discolored hands together. "That's a mighty big number. You're a pro I can tell. Trov'll keep an eye on you, yes I will." He raised a finger, turning his back to the physicist with a giggle.

Carson leaned in over McKay's shoulder asking softly. "What did you tell him you killed them with?" He was apparently confused as well. Rodney arched his head, whispering over his shoulder with a crafty grin.a  
"Easy bake oven."

_"Smooth McKay, real smooth."_The Major chimed in, noticing the fact that the physicist was next in line. "_Eh Skippy, your number's up." _

"Name!" Squawked the old A'vok behind the desk glaring down at McKay through his thick glasses; the sudden shouting making Rodney jump forward.

"Doctor Rodney McKay." He replied proudly; though the inquisitioner cared little it seemed. He went about looking up the name, scowling from where he sat.

"Trespassing, loitering, theft, and insubordination of territorial regulations." The A'vok snarled, pointing to his left. "Fifteen cycles!"

Before McKay could say otherwise he was seized by two guards and lugged off to the left, leaving Beckett standing on the line alone. Rodney was spun round and forced forward, catching the fleeting expression of utter concern on Beckett's face as he was lead down passed the desk. On his way through the door he heard the inquisitioner shout something about seven cycles. McKay turned back a moment seeing the doorway entered by another person and not Beckett. The doctor must have been directed to the right of the main lobby instead of left like him. The guard behind the physicist shoved him abruptly, ordering him to keep moving; he regretfully had to continue on down the hall, enforced to abandon the good doctor.

Passing through several halls, Rodney found himself being led upward, climbing in an uneven spiral till he was stopped just before a gated door, beyond which he could hear the rush of thousands upon thousands of voices, shouting. The gate swung outwards and McKay stepped out onto a railed balcony though this one was suspended over a sickeningly high drop. He felt a flash of vertigo for a moment, seeing how deep the tower like area he was in went. Rodney looked up as he was pushed along to see the room ran even higher upwards, each level of the spiral was railed off. He walked along a grated floor, below he could see clear down to the lower level, and even further beyond that. He passed several corridors branching off from the circle he walked, each hall ran several cells long, some empty some occupied. Finally after about the ninth row in he was made to turn down one of the halls, passing one cell after another, catching fevered glances from those inside the metal-barred cages. Some shouted at him and the guards, McKay forced himself to keep his eyes straight ahead.

He was stopped six cells in. One A'vok guard pulled out a small metal tube slipping it into a rounded slot on the door, the back of the tube went from red to green as he twisted it clockwise. McKay realized it was some sort of key and lock system. As the door was yanked open, he was shoved inside; Rodney fell forward landing on a metal built cot suspended from the wall. Shotty clothing was then tossed in his face and the guard ordered that he strip and change.

"What! Right here, out in the open!" Rodney exclaimed. A second later he was staring down the barrel of a gun, the guard remarking either he do it now or they do it later when they hauled his carcass away. Grudgingly, he turned his back to them, stripping down to an under shirt and his boxers, slipping into the stiff and grimy grey shirt and pants they had issued him. McKay folded his gear, and handed it through the bars to the guards. His effects were snatched from his very fingers, the cell door slammed and locked. A moment later the A'voks disappeared back down the corridor; leaving Rodney on his own.

He looked about his cell, three solid walls with a thick-rod barred door. The metal cot he had landed on, a heavily soiled mattress, if one could call it that was curled into a roll covered by a bug-chewed blanket. The air still had that hot staleness about it, and the shouts and noise of the cellblock was only slightly muffled by his enclosure. Rodney glanced down at himself, disgusted.

"Doesn't get much better then this." He remarked with a scowl, unsure what to do first---try to contact Carson or attempt to set up the revolting bed. He was leaning more towards the first of the two; for the absolute exhaustion that crept upon him was taking its toll.

_"Could be worse I suppose." _Sheppard remarked finally. Rodney hadn't heard his voice in sometime, though really he hadn't noticed how long it had been since he'd heard from the Major, too wrapped up in the events of the day. "_You could be sharing a cell." _

"I already am." McKay replied, checking behind him before he sat down on the edge of the cot's frame. "You've been awfully quiet today."

_"I was thinking." _

"That must be why I smelled smoke." The physicist mused, finding it to be his only comfort at the moment. Though surprisingly enough he was quite relaxed, which must have been Sheppard's doing.

John rebuked dryly. _"Ha-ha. What happened to the plan I told you to stick together!" _

"Did you see those guards? Of course you did; because I saw them. They were twice my size. I'm an astrophysicist without a gun John, what did you expect me to do? Drop'um with a Vulcan neck pinch?"

_"Oh no I was hoping my G.I Joe kung-fu grip would rub off on you. Apparently I expect too much."_ Sheppard sighed inwardly._ "Well, we're just gonna have to work with this. Hopefully we'll meet back up with the Doc at lunch. It might not be such a hot idea to contact him now, so will wait for word from him. In the meantime, I need to do some strategizing. You should get some sleep." _

McKay scoffed. "I don't think I'll ever sleep again. Least not in here---do you see this place? Christ, dog kennels have more room. I'll probably get Tetanus just standing here."

"_Good the Lockjaw will shut you up." _

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that." Rodney glanced about, sighing. "They took my clothes John, I never even got to say goodbye to them." He stopped himself then, a horrified expression crossing over his face. "Why in the hell do I keep making you-like comments?"

_"Beats me, we did have a doctor with us. He could of told you---but SOMEONE lost him!" _

"Oh forget it!" McKay yelled; slapping his hands on his legs in defeat. He stood up, unrolling the mattress with a glower, finding one side cleaner then the other he flipped the bed over, throwing the blanket down on top of it. He then proceeded to plop himself down atop of that with a grunt. Rodney rolled left to right, to his back, then back on his side; finding no position any more restful then the other. Finally with a shaken sigh he returned to laying on his back, closing his heavy eyes; hands cradling his head because apparently, Othalin didn't splurge for pillows.

_"That's it. Now try and get some sleep, you and I need all the rest we can get." _Sheppard said quietly, settling down though he planned on not sleeping for a while, not until he could figure things out in his mind. He didn't need McKay worrying over that at the moment, he could already feel the man's mounting fatigue.

"My cell smells." Rodney muttered, scrunching up his nose in repugnance before he stifled a yawn.

The Major replied and if he could; would have covered his nose from the stench. He'd been in some dives before but this topped the list. _"Yeah, I know. The sooner you go to sleep, the sooner I'll stop smelling it too." _The air coming through the physicist's nostrils was musty and rotten smelling, temperatures in the cell were uncomfortably damp and chilly. In the darkness behind McKay's sealed lids Sheppard could imagine they were in a sewer rather then a prison. It was going to be a long—long day and an even longer night. John was distracted for a moment by what sounded like a fight somewhere outside; perhaps between inmates, maybe a guard or two. The physicist on the other hand remained still, his breathing stabilizing in a quiet rhythm.

If Sheppard could have rolled his eyes he would have; Rodney could have slept through a hurricane if given the chance. But perhaps maybe the man was just that tired, which was understandable. John was worn-out himself with concentrating on McKay, keeping him calm and levelheaded was arduous work; and not something he _should_ have been doing but did it nonetheless. Because, it gave him some control over the situation; let him do something where he otherwise couldn't. John hated feeling non-useful, so he did what he could, when he could. Even if that meant everything.

"Hello?" There was voice then, trilled by a fearful brogue in McKay's ear, not even stirring the man. However Sheppard heard it, heard it clear enough and would have responded to Beckett if he could. "Rodney? Are you there?" Came Carson again, his voice hushed. John, at the moment tried to be content with at least hearing from the doctor, which meant he was still alive and probably locked up some ways from them. What he needed though was for McKay to be conscious so he could talk through him. Take the next necessary steps in the mission.

_"Just hang in there Doc." _The Major replied, though Beckett would never hear it. "_Christ_." He sighed, wondering just how he was going to wake McKay up. He cleared his throat, inhaling steeply. "_RODNEY!" _

McKay's eyes shot open, his whole body jerking from the sudden screaming in his ears. He spazed, forgetting where he was for a moment and rolled off the cot; landing with a weighty and shocking thud on the floor. He wiped at his watery eyes, vision blurry.

"Rodney? Are you there?" Called Beckett over the intercom lodged in the physicist's ear. McKay tapered his gaze, scowling.

John chuckled softly, it seemed pretty obvious from Rodney's thoughts just then that he blamed the rude awakening on Carson rather then himself. Beckett was about to get one hell of a verbal lashing, and Sheppard felt a twang of guilt for it. He'd have to make it up the doctor when he had a chance, whenever and if ever that was. They were in the deep now, that part was over---that, was the easy part. Now came the real test, Sheppard thought. Norweg was right---he too had to play the game.

* * *

TBC. 


	11. Misery Loves Company

A/N: I did catch the episode Duet. Amazing ep btw for anyone who hasn't seen it yet. The humor was priceless and I was very interested in seeing how it was all resolved. And that little "interchange" between McKay and Beckett—if you've seen it you know what I'm talking about—sooooo funny. Anyway, I've calculated only a few more chapters left to this story and things are about to go off the deep end. Enjoy. **Warning** This chapter contains violence.  
------- mid scene shifts.

* * *

**Chapter 11:** _Misery Loves Company

* * *

The cell that McKay currently resided in was otherwise silent, save for the sqweltching sounds his stomach repeatedly made. The physicist placed a hand on his gut, frowning in displeasure as it let loose another long and strangled gurgle._

"_Yeah I'm pretty famished myself_." Sheppard added after the last grumble dulled from their ears. So, this was prison. Sitting around and waiting for lunch. Where were the weight room brawls, laundry room duties, or hell even chipping away at massive stone blocks with sledgehammers? This was just, boring. John had literally sat through the stifled conversation between McKay and Beckett, to which the doctor was fine and well; locked up who knew where. Then agonized through four hours of Rodney snoring, mumbling in his sleep about calibrations he needed to do on something in his head. It did though, give Sheppard the time to reorganize the plan.

He knew the schedule of the citadel, the whole sun-period-thing; knew both he and McKay were dead tired as well. Not that he could see the sky or anything enough to tell when this second period lunch was going to take place, making the wait all the more frustrating. He proceeded then in twiddling Rodney's thumbs, which strangely, the physicist let him do without complaint. John accounted McKay's leniency to hunger, which seemed to sap the man's energy with each passing moment. No wonder Rodney always whined about eating, this was awful. Sheppard could actually feel himself slowing down; thoughts bordered by fuzziness. Though he despised them, John would have actually agreed to McKay eating one of those awful power bars he was always snacking on.

"_You have the maximum-security sector still memorized right?" _Sheppard asked. He couldn't stand the silence anymore, not when the only thing breaking it was the protests of Rodney's empty stomach.

McKay rested slovenly against the wall behind his cot, slouching until his chin dug into his chest. It was uncomfortable, but at that point, he hadn't the gumption to hold his head up let alone shift to another position. He licked at his parched lips replying. "I can't even remember my own name I'm so hungry." He exaggerated, wincing as his gut openly yelled at him again for sustenance.

"_Well then from now on I'm calling you Ethel. And what I meant was, if you don't remember them, I do. From what I can recall about the blueprints to this hell-hole they only built one cafeteria. So, there's a good chance we'll see Beckett come lunch time." _

Rodney rolled his eyes, whimpering slightly. "Don't even mention the word lunch. I can't take it. And that's only if they don't have separate prison sections following one another. They can't fit us all in one room."

"Well, well, well---if it isn't the infamous, Doctor McKay." Came an overly charming voice in the direction of the door to the physicist's cell. Rodney shot up where he slouched, eyes darting to the door to find Commander Dran staring back at him through slotted bars. The A'vok smiled curtly, pleased he caught the man so of guard.

"_Great, now the gang's all here." _Sheppard said dryly, feeling Rodney get to his feet and walk to the center of the cell, folding his arms.

The physicist eyed Dran carefully, returning in a nonchalant tone. "I suppose you feel proud of yourself." McKay himself had been wondering just when Dran was going to show his condescending self again. Though he felt that later was better then sooner in this case. Of all the people John could have made him punch out cold, why couldn't it be the A'vok Commander, that he wouldn't have minded that much. Rodney could accept fracturing his hand on Dran's jaw.

Dran laughed softly to himself, that kind of forced amusement he seemed apt to do. He then ran a long finger or two down the caged door, remarking with a widened grin. "Pride is not the issue here Doctor. I'm simply paying respects to the man I envisioned behind these bars. I must have made quite an impact on you and your men. Enough to completely disregard the agreement I made with Weir on your detainment."

Letting out a condescending chuckle Rodney interjected. "Yes, I just had to see your lovely face again Commander. So I said to myself, Rodney---what's the best way around that? Ta-da!" He held up his hands to the side before folding them back up in front of him, his smile fading, adding venomously. "How stupid do you think I am?"

"_McKay. I hate Commander Stick-up-his-ass just as much as you do, but that's no reason to get us busted. Don't egg him on. He might think something's up with us being here." _

The A'vok's expression sunk, taking on a sour demeanor before the man stepped up closer to the bars, their shadows lending rather sinister darkness to his already hardened face. "My point exactly Doctor McKay. I don't know what you and your friend were doing on that planet, but I can only imagine the look of shock on your faces when you found it." He continued, glasses flashing under the glow of the small energy lights in the cell. "I have plans for you Doctor. And you've only made things that much easier for me---intentionally or otherwise."

McKay remained silent, not liking the obvious intimidation in Dran's tone. The A'vok backed away then, features lightening as he returned genuinely. "I do so _hope _you find your cell _accommodating._ If not---" The Commander added lightly, gesturing with a hand towards the outside. "—well, you won't be staying in it very much longer. I can promise you that."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Rodney asked shortly, not at all pleased even if it was an empty threat. "Look, you've already won Dran. So why don't you just totter off like a good general and bother someone who cares."

------------

Near the same time as McKay was having his reunion, Beckett was having one of his own. After getting in touch with Rodney and the Major, Carson had settled back, trying to remain as calm and comfortable as possible considering the situation. For the first hour or two he paced, then he slept for what seemed only minutes but turned out to be nearly an hour, then spent the remainder of the time staring off at the wall. He had already gotten over the fact that his belongings were stripped from him, including any of the medical supplies he daringly smuggle in. The only thing Carson managed to keep on him was the trinket he pulled from the tree in the temple. He held it now in one hand, rubbing a thumb over the rough weathered metal.

It was a medallion of sorts from what he could tell, now that he had proper time to examine it. It looked to be made of pewter but what the real metal composition was he couldn't tell and most of its surface was marred by rust. Beckett stood then holding the necklace up to the flickering energy light stationed on either side of his cell. There was something defiantly etched in it, perhaps some sort of symbol though it was too hard to make it out with the metal's fatigue. On the other side of the disk, round an inch and a half in diameter he guessed; was what looked like smaller writing. Flowing symbols grouped to form words he couldn't read but knew they must have meant something if they were important enough to place on a necklace.

Catching a movement on the corner of his eye, Beckett managed to catch the fleeting image of a dark haired man passing by his cell door, dropping a bit of paper in the instant he was there. Carson closed his hand around the medallion, pocketing it as he went across the cell, carefully picking up the folded paper.

He stood up by the barred door, finding the hall on either side empty and receiving a very dirty look from the prisoner stationed in the cell across from his. Beckett gave him a friendly if not fearful wave and crept back deeper into his cell, paper in hand.

Taking up the still warm spot he left on the cot, Carson opened the note, scanning the writing, which he could remarkably read. He skipped to the end, seeing the hasty scrolled initials MN.

"Malic." The doctor remarked to himself, jumping his eyes to the beginning of the short note, which read thusly:

_Gertz__ is missing. Execution still scheduled for tomorrow after second period. I will keep in touch. Destroy this letter after reading. _

_MN_

With heavy breath, Beckett folded up the note, shocked by what he had read. How could the inventor be missing? It certainly put all sorts of kinks into the plan to say the least. He had to talk to McKay. Quickly Carson shoved the note into his pocket and slid off the cot. Crouching down, the doctor slowly slipped his hands under the mattress and felt around for his earpiece, finding it after a panicked moment where Beckett had thought he lost it.

He shifted deeper into the cell, squatting in a nearby-secluded corner. Though, in truth the cell really afforded no seclusion in the first place; being around three yards by three yards in width and two yards and a half in height. Beckett could barely get out of the sight of the cell door let alone have any sort of privacy.

Placing the intercom in his ear, Carson switched it on, hoping Rodney was awake.

------------

With a nauseating smile, Dran gave a short nod. "If that is what I'm to do Doctor. Then I shouldn't be kept from my duties." He added smugly. "Do _enjoy_ your stay."

He was about to leave when unexpectedly there was a muffled sound coming from within McKay's cell. The physicist froze up, realizing instantly what it was. Dran paused listening to the scattered vibrations in the air, arching a brow at Rodney.

"What was that?" The A'vok looked about the cell, spying nothing at the moment. "What was that noise?"

"Ah." Rodney stuttered, letting out an awkward laugh. "I didn't hear anything. Maybe it was something down the hall, one of the other cells---" He pointed out the door.

Dran narrowed his eyes, standing stone still, listening. Again he heard the muffled noise of what sounded like talking.

McKay held his breath, jaw clenched.

_"Your stomach."_

"It's---It's my stomach." The physicist said finally, evening his voice as he frowned at the A'vok; slapping a hand to his gut. "Seems I'm not accustomed to your, pitiable if not insufficient food regiments. You'd think you were running a prison." He added lamely, catching the expression on Dran's face creep from suspicion to a slight offense.

Dran, having no further want to feign his friendliness turned and stalked off, hands clasped behind his back. Rodney watched him until the very moment the man's form disappeared from sight before he plopped back onto the cot, breathing a sigh of relief. "Well that was about as fun as a root-canal."

_"About as fun as being with you in the shower."_Sheppard quipped.

The physicist shook his head, running a hand through is hair. He jammed a hand inside a slit he'd ripped in the mattress, john's suggestion; and pulled out the intercom. Beckett's voice came forth loud and clear in his hand a moment later; as Rodney placed the piece in his ear with a disdainful look.  
"Yeah I'm here!" He snapped; regretting it afterwards.

"Oh, thank goodness." Carson exclaimed in a whisper, either ignoring the man's present attitude or not noticing it in the first place. "We've got a bit of a situation."

McKay looked around for a moment then scooted over to the other side of the cot, so he was out of earshot, turning his back to the door. "Let me guess; their governor gave you a reprieve?"

He heard Carson sigh over the intercom.  
"Listen, I said I was sorry, how was I supposed to know you'd get more years then me? They didn't have me on file."

"I only think it's fair that since we were both arrested on the same offence, we'd get an equal share of conviction time. Is that too much to ask? I'm already having the month from hell!" McKay snarled, scrunching up in a tense ball of frustration.  
Rodney heard the Major interrupt then. "_McKay—need to focus. You can bicker about sentencing later if we're not all dead. Now find out what's wrong with the Doc." _

"Right." The physicist muttered, sobering himself. "What's the problem?"

Carson was silent for a moment. Which, worried John to no end. Either something was going on in the doctor's cell---maybe Dran had paid him a visit as well—or maybe he was just hesitant to say whatever it was he had to say. Turned out to be the latter of the two, to Sheppard's discord.  
"Gertz---is missin'."

Sitting there a moment, McKay stared at the wall before replying slowly. "Wait---did you just say, what I think you just said. Because it sounded like you just said that Gertz has gone AWAL. And why am I using military lingo! Huh Major! I shouldn't be having these questions! These questions shouldn't be even---" Rodney shot out a dismissive hand. "—gracing my mind." "What do you mean he's gone? Where did he go? The A'vokien Wal-Mart?"

_"Ethel; breath."_

"Don't you---" Combated the physicist harshly as he stood up, bending to glance outside, seeing there was no one about he slipped into a corner; pointing accusingly at the wall with a hiss. "—Don't you Ethel breath me!"

"Pardon? Who's Ethel?" Beckett radioed back, sounding more then confused. It seemed in the short time he had not spoken to Rodney, the man had completely lost it. Perhaps it was an effect of the final days of transfer. The doctor had a nagging fear that the switch between the two consciousness would be any day now. And without medical supplies, or even access to Rodney and John for that matter; things could go horribly, horribly wrong. "Rodney, are you feelin' alright?"

Letting out a long and satisfying breath, McKay continued. "No, no I'm not feeling alright. I'm starving. That's worse then death for me. In fact, that means death for me. How many times do I have to tell you people? Hypoglycemic isn't just a fancy word I like to use!"

_"We really need to get together and figure this out." _

"Where's Gertz? And where's the goddamn lunch bell!" McKay spun around shouting to the empty cell, caring little if anyone actually heard him.

Just then there was a blearing sound echoing through the halls, the cell door clinked loudly and swung open. McKay blinked at the door, standing up and walking towards it. He ever so slowly popped his head outside to see prisoners down the corridor of cells, leave theirs and follow in an orderly line.  
"_Whine and ye shall receive. You happy now?" _John commented.

"Yes, I'm very happy." Rodney smirked, satisfied. "Can't you feel me brimming with happiness?"

"_And here I thought it was your bladder." _

"Did your door just up and fly open?" Beckett came back after a moment, speaking loudly over the tolling of the alarms.

"Yes—yes." McKay muttered, hesitant to follow up behind the rather scarier looking inmates. "They must be on some sort of unified channel. We'll meet you in the cafeteria Carson." With that Rodney yanked the intercom from his ear, shoved it back inside his mattress and slipped out of his cell. He carefully walked up to the line that had formed from his section of cells, the prisoners made to move in a slow and monotonous line, escorted by armed guards. It was tedious, Sheppard thought, but at least it was productive and would get McKay's mind on something other then his self-preservation for a little while at least.

* * *

The cafeteria of Othalin, if you could even call it that, consisted of one enormous room. Long steel like tables ran its length and in four rows long its width. Along the ceiling flickered thin panels of powered lighting, giving everything under them a sickly yellow tint. The air was chilled leaving McKay to believe the citadel had some sort of erratic climate control system; which was on the fritz it seemed. 

Prisoners were guided, by force to enter a grate-covered tunnel that hooked in an L along the side corner of the cafeteria, where they entered. Here, after a slow shuffling procession, McKay finally spotted what looked like a serves station.

He had been slinking behind a brutish man at the moment. The prisoner's head was shaved, making his skull look even larger, a spiking tattoo sprawled round his thick neck and down to disappear underneath his shirt. The man's arms were practically the same size of Rodney's head. McKay heard a low chuckle between his ears.  
"_See, you could have been bunking with Bluto over there." _John mused.

"I'll count myself lucky." McKay said to his side before realizing he spoke just a touch too loudly.The Brute turned round, angling his tiny eyes downward to where Rodney had froze like a deer in headlights.Inhaling made the man look even larger. "You say something?" His voice reverberating deeply in his heaving chest.

Rodney blinked. "Who me? I-----I didn't say anything." McKay turned round quickly to the man standing behind him. "Did you say something?"  
Shifting back to face the behemoth, he shrugged. "Must have been the wi---"

The physicist suddenly found himself hoisted up by his collar. Face to face with the refrigerator-sized convict, who doubled his height so much so that Rodney's feet left the ground.

"Are you and I, going to have a problem?" Growled the Brute, spraying his words literally in Rodney's face, causing the man to flinch. "Because, I don't do well---with problems."

"P—Problems?" McKay managed to squeak out, feeling the grip on his clothing tighten; digging into his skin. "I---ah don't think----think so. You seem like you don't need the added stress. Being incarcerated---"

The convict opened his hands then, letting McKay drop back to the ground. "—and all." Rodney straightened himself out then with a fearful laugh, taking a moment to rub his neck. The Brute let out a low growl, leaning himself down that McKay was forced to bend at the knees to stay clear of him.  
"Good –I-de-a." Was all the hefty man said, prodding each syllable into McKay's chest with one massive finger.

The prisoner turned then, flexing his muscles as a last sign of superiority. Rodney watched as that tattoo on the man's back widened considerably, causing the physicist to gulp back his trepidation.  
After a moment of silence, Sheppard spoke up. "_Nice handle on almost getting us pummeled. Don't answer that, I'd like to keep you intact at least---until we can link up with the Doc." _

McKay gave a short nod before the man behind rudely shoved him. Apparently, his near death experience had held up the line.

The rest of the walk proceeded without incident, which John was more then thankful for. Until that is, they reached the service area and felt Rodney's stomach turn over sharply. Moreover, for good reason too. As the grated tunnel opened up the line slipped out, forming along several blackened boiling pots near chest height on at least McKay. The physicist found a metal tray suddenly shoved in his face. He grabbed the try awkwardly as a cup and bowl were slammed down on it by one A'vok. Followed by a heaping, steaming mass of goop ladled in by another.

A hunk of bread was haphazardly tossed onto the tray; it slid across its smooth surface and hit Rodney in the chest, sending up a crumb-filled spray. McKay took one look at the 'food' he'd been served and was about to complain when he was pushed off line.  
He stumbled forward, careful to control the crud in the bowl from sloshing too much onto the tray. Though in truth, it really didn't matter because whatever it was; was more gelatinous then liquid.

"Rodney!" McKay heard a familiar voice call to him over the rush of conversations and shouts. He looked up to see a hand waving far in the back of the cafeteria, many, many tables down. Quickly as he could without forcing the trailing stench of his food to curl up under his nose from the movement, Rodney reached Beckett's table. First, he eased the tray down, and then plopped down shortly after; eyeing the substance apprehensively as it burped an air bubble at him.

"I think it moved." He muttered. "In fact, I know it did. I think I saw a fin." McKay looked across the table to find Carson's bowl half-empty. "Are you insane!" He exclaimed to the doctor, seeming more then appalled.

Beckett rolled his eyes, tearing off another chunk of half stale bread and dipping it into the muck inside his bowl, noshing at it. "Just like mum use to make; save for some of the more crunchy bits." Carson remarked, stopping to pick something out of the back of his teeth.

McKay simply stared, watching him eat. "Your mother really must have hated you." Rodney took a tentative whiff of his bread, finding it sour but not overly unappealing. He broke off a piece and prodded the tanish-brown slop experimentally. It seemed to draw the bread downward as if trying to consume it.

_"Oh just eat it." _Sheppard said finally, tired of watching the man's hesitance. "_It's either this or we starve. And if Beckett likes it, then it can't be half bad right? I have to eat it too technically." _

Drawing the soaked bread up to his mouth, because there seemed to be a _no spoon_ rule in effect, for he didn't get one; The physicist bit down, chewing as quickly as humanly possible, swallowing hard before any sort of taste hit him. He waited. Carson watched him like the physicist was performing emergency surgery. McKay swallowed a few more times, frowning before replying.  
"I've had worse."

Beckett leaned back with a short chuckle before continuing with his meal. "We've got a real problem." He spoke through mouthfuls; pulling over a small metal pitcher with one finger, unscrewing the top. Carson made a grab for Rodney's cup a filled it to the brim with a murky looking liquid.

Rodney looked at it, and licked the grimy slop off his teeth before taking a hesitant sip. The water, if it was that, tasted strongly metallic. "Good lord." He winced, but at that point took another long drink. It might have tasted like a rusted tin can, but at least it was mildly cold.

"So how do you know Gertz is missing?" The physicist asked quietly, trying to keep their business to themselves. Which, wasn't all that necessary because of the noise factor in the room already was quite loud, nearly drowning them out.

Dropping his bread to his tray, Beckett reached into his pocket and produced the note, which McKay snatched out of his hand. He opened it, scanning the very short account and waited an extra second to make sure John had read it through too.

"_Well isn't that just handy."_ The Major replied, watching McKay fold the note back up and slip it into his own pocket.

"Alright then, what are we going to do now?" Rodney snapped in frustration, losing a piece of bread in his lunch; forced to fish it out with a finger.

"_Let's look at the things we have." _Sheppard began, excepting the unusual taste in McKay's mouth. "_A pretty outdated description of the inventor, his name, the area he should be around in, the area the Yu'set Mave should be in, and no chance in hell to check either of them out---till now." _

"What's he sayin'?" Carson asked, watching Rodney stare down at his tray, seeming to be listening intently.

McKay turned his eyes back up to him. "I think he has a plan. You do---have a plan right?" He went quiet once more, concentrating on the voice only he could hear.

_"Ok. So Gertz is missing. Not exactly the greatest of details, but not all that bad either. We can use this to our advantage. Now, I haven't the slightest clue why his execution is still on the menu unless Dran plans on recapturing him by then. Meaning--"_

"Meaning---" McKay held up a finger catching on. "The military groups will be split in two. One half preparing for this inauguration or whatever and the other half searching for him."

Beckett nodded. "Sounds like your Commander has his hands tied at the moment."

_"Exactly Doc.__ I'm sure they're running around crazy up there trying to find him." _

Rodney held up a hand, stopping the Major as he shoved a lump of bread in his mouth. "Wait a minute. Wouldn't that mean Dran's men would be combing the area? I don't know how you expect us to search a sector crawling with A'vok soldiers."

_"Na-ha."_John said simply.

Pausing in his chewing, Rodney let out a sigh. "And Na-ha would specify that you've already thought of that?"  
_"Bingo." _

"What's his plan?" Carson pushed his empty tray away, leaning in over the table.

Sheppard took a moment, cleared his throat and began, hesitantly. "_You're not gonna like it." _

"I bet I won't."

"Won't what?" Asked the doctor. He received a curt hand from Rodney who narrowed his eyes, trying to listen.

_"Well what we need now is a diversion. Something that's going to keep the guard's attentions for a while. Something big. But I'm going to need you McKay to let me work you for a little while." _

"Oh no!" Exclaimed Rodney, clapping a hand on the table. "Whatever it is I can do on my own. I told you, no more stunts."

_"Fine."_Replied John firmly. "_I need you to start a fight." _

McKay looked to Beckett then, held up a finger that he'd be only a moment, then proceeded to slip underneath the table.

Carson sat there, confused as to what was going on when suddenly from below he heard Rodney scream.  
"WHAT!"

The doctor raised a hand to his face, adverting his eyes to the table when the prisoners nearest them started staring. Beckett checked under the table and leaned forward then, drumming his hands on the metal surface. Anything to look like he didn't acknowledge the commotion going on just underneath him.

"I'm NOT GOING TO----no I will not keep my voice down!" McKay roared into a hiss. "Are you trying to get me killed? Us killed? Because I think you are. In fact, I have a distinct feeling you're out to destroy what little life and dignity I have left!"

Beckett held his breath, folding one hand into the other; scattered bouts of silence followed.

"No." He heard Rodney snarl. "No-no-no-no-no-no-no."

An exclamation seemed to catch in the physicist's throat before he barked. "Oh don't you dare!"

There came a spell of quiet then, which worried the doctor. He leaned back slowly, shifting his gaze under the table to see one clenched fist. Suddenly Rodney came back up, nicking the side of his head on the table before he sat back down. His chest was heaving, face flustered and one eye seemed to twitch.

"FINE! But I'm not doing it!" McKay cried through a rush of breath; like some inner torment had suddenly ended. His eyes fluttered as he looked to Carson, sighing. "Sheppard has the bright idea of starting a diversion." Rodney was silent for a moment, looking off to the table. "Yes, yes! I got that. I'll tell him." He turned his glare back up to the doctor. "When you get the chance, slip out of here and head to the eastern high security sector. Look for the Yu'set Mave. I'll take the one north of here for Gertz. Norweg didn't exactly keep a running list of what cells they've been in, but we have a general idea where. So search there first."

Beckett nodded.

Rodney looked around, more or less John did. Their eyes shifted from one convict to another. Sheppard was searching for the perfect place to start an explosive chain reaction that would take maybe hours to clean up. But, where to begin the mess? The Major watched as McKay's stare fell over the brutish man he nearly got slaughtered by earlier.  
_"Couldn't of picked better myself Ethel." _

The physicist shook his head vigorously but without warning, stood up. He began walking stiffly around the table and through the rows. The gargantuan prisoner was at the moment, chatting it up with one of his fellow inmates when McKay came up behind him. The physicist tried in vain to pull himself backwards but Sheppard prevented it, gluing the man's feet to the floor. Rodney's eyes went wide as his hand rose, palm out and proceeded to shove the convict in the shoulder, clashing against thick unyielding muscle. The prisoner barely even moved from the force.  
John curved the physicist's hand into an accusing point as the tattooed prisoner turned round, dark animalistic gaze narrowed and his chest heaved once more.

Rodney dropped his hand, under his own volition and stared up at the bomb he had just detonated with a gawking dismayed expression, though said angrily. "That's for wrinkling my shirt---jackass!" Those weren't his words. His mouth had moved, vocal cords vibrating as if he did, but McKay hadn't thought to say them----Sheppard did.

The convict clenched his jaw. Inwardly, John could of sworn he heard the man's fists tightening like strained ropes.

"_Duck!"_John shouted, his voice echoing back and forth between the physicist's ears. Rodney stuttered a 'what' before he saw the blurry movement of a meaty fist flying towards his face. Gasping, McKay quickly sunk down, dropping to all fours as the fist flew through the air; ramming into a prisoner who was passing by. Rodney uncovered his head to see the other man, the one struck turn round; save he really wasn't a man.

This creature, whatever sort of species it was stood a near four feet taller then the Brute, and about three times as bulky; its features resembling something bovine in nature. Long nostrils flared, huffing out sour breath as the thing shouted something in another tongue before taking a swing at other prisoner, clocking him right in the chin and sending him sailing into the food line. Taking out the inmate _he_ was talking to previously along with him.  
Someone from behind the towering creature leapt up and attacked him, causing the man-like thing to stumble forward nearly trampling Rodney.

"_Move damn it!" _John growled as McKay scrambled across the floor on all fours. A riot broke out, convicts viciously attacking other convicts as the violence spread like wildfire throughout the cafeteria. Rodney dodged left and right, slipping under legs, diving round chairs and running guards as the A'vok swarmed in to stop the chaos.

The physicist stood up facing several armed A'vokien guards, aimed at him. Some saving grace in the form a chair flew inches behind McKay's back, taking out one guard and causing the others to open fire beyond him. Taking his chances, Rodney ran for his life and shoved through the crowds. He managed to slip round the corner as prisoners began to overcome the guards near the beginning of the grated-caged tunnel, bypassing it and coming straight into the cafeteria to join the fight.

Finding an opening after a group of charging inmates, McKay squeezed out of the cafeteria and found himself in a dark corridor, guards rushing past him and not giving the cowering man the time of day. Hastily he made his way down the hall, hiding in a shadowed hallow along the wall as several more guards padded by, charging their weapons.

McKay tried to catch his breath, limbs and lungs aching from the exertion, the shear havoc of it all. Beyond him, he heard energy-gun fire, roaring and shouting; the sound was only lessened from where he was standing.  
Promptly, the physicist dug the intercom from out of his pocket and put it in his ear with shaken hand. "Beckett? Carson where are you! "

There was a long pause. The very silence filled the man with such dread. Through after a few more tense moments he heard a voice on the other end of the transmission.

--------

Carson, had watched McKay begin the cataclysmic events with a sort of strange fascination, like watching a train wreck. Then when the convicts literally started flying across the room; the doctor had taken cover under the table. He observed the scurry of feet under safer confines, when the guards started to open fire. Beckett had a finger in one ear, his hand to the radio with the other.  
"I'm still in here, where are you!" He shouted over the shear rumbling of the fighting around him.

McKay replied. "Out side. Are you alright?"

Just then a fight shifted to right behind Beckett, he looked over his shoulder to see the legs of two prisoners standing beyond the chairs, one throwing the other onto the table as the doctor heard fist meet flesh right above him. Carson winched, radioing. "More or less. You?"

"Fine, no thanks to John." He heard Rodney call back, pausing for a second. "I'm going to head to the North sector----Sheppard says if you can't get through, just try to stay out of harm's way."

Carson, squatting beneath the table, suddenly found himself shifting along the ground just to stay beneath it. The whole structure started sliding to the side as one inmate rammed into another. The table met the next in line and stopped there with a shrill clang. Beckett caught his breath and clicked back. "Easy for you to say. Just find that inventor!"

---------

Pulling the radio from his ear, McKay peeked his head out slowly to see if the coast was clear. He could still hear the ruckus inside the cafeteria raging on and down the opposite direction seemed empty. Carefully, Rodney crept out of the indentation in the hallway and made his way down, crossing towards and off shoot that began him on giant spiral. As specified in the plans delivered to them by the Yu'set, the maximum-security sector was located ten levels below the general level; the one the cafeteria was located on.

The physicist kept to the shadows as John instructed, moving at a steady speed though pausing periodically for both men to listen. When McKay got the ok from the Major, he moved; when John told him to stop---he did. And it worked like this until they reached their destination.  
_"Well I counted ten." _Sheppard spoke up, getting a nod from Rodney. He could feel the man's heart pounding in his chest, and rightfully so.

The maximum-security sector was set up quite differently from the upper levels, like the one McKay's cell was stationed in. One he hoped he'd never see again after this. The corridor he traveled on was empty, and uncomfortably quiet. A sealed door ahead signaled the start of a cellblock, seven in total wrapped around the circular hallway within according to the blueprints. Rodney stepped up to the door, glancing through a small cutout to see a long short hall consisting of several cells. He tallied five in all.

Rodney backed away looking over the door's frame for some sort of sensor or some sort of power conduit. To his left he saw one of the same circular locks that secured his cell along with the others. McKay peered into the deep depression before slipping his finger inside and with a few tugs, yanked the frontal panel right off the wall.

Inside was a webbing of circuitry, several lines of which were connected to the socket of the keyhole. McKay let out a perturbed breath as he began to poke around seeing what wires ran to what in the grey motherboard stationed behind it all. The board marked with cryptic alien symbols.

_"Can you open it up?" _John asked, looking through Rodney's eyes at the yellow glowing wires, gently humming and warm to the touch as the physicist shifted them back and forth.

McKay's frown deepened. "Not without the proper equipment."

Sheppard thought it over a moment. "_Why don't you just yank it?" _

Drawing his hand out, Rodney complained to the open air. "I'm not just going to sever highly technical equipment Major. Besides, it probably doesn't work like that. Obviously, there is a mechanism in the key the A'vok carry around that triggers something in the lock. It must be some sort of impulse or circuitry command."

"_Wouldn't that mean breaking the current for a second to send in a new command?" _

McKay arched a brow. "Well, that's part of it." Was John tapping into his knowledge? Was that even possible?

_"Then---and I'm just taking a wild guess here. Wouldn't cutting the power to the door leave it manageable? Say, to us prying the thing to the side?" _

"I'm can't shift this door by myself, it must weigh at least a hundred pounds not to mention the machinery that closes the thing backing it up!" Rodney contested and began shifting through the mess of wires once more.

John sighed. "_But you wouldn't be doing it by yourself Rodney. I think with the both of us we can slide this sucker open enough to fit through. We don't exactly have the time for you to be rooting around in there hoping to sever the right connection. So sever them all." _

Furrowing his brows, McKay reached inside and gathered as many of the wires as he could in one hand. Holding the bundle he turned his face away and jerked back, sending sparks shooting out of the open panel. Rodney yanked his hand out with a wince, as the gaping hole still shot out the occasional fiz. His hand seemed intact, a bit tingly but nothing life threatening. He walked over to the door and dug his fingers around its outer edge, finding a decent hold. With a strained grunt, the physicist felt the metal begin to give way as he struggled. Suddenly from within, McKay felt his muscles constricting harder, the pulling felt easier and the door itself cracked open. With a few more solid tugs both men breached a big enough gap for Rodney to fit through if he sucked his gut in.

He whipped his hands together with a smug grin. "I knew it would work."

_"Sure you did." _Sheppard scoffed. "_Just put that panel back on. Not that they're not going to notice the gapping doors. But it's something." _McKay followed suit tucking the broken guts of the circuitry back inside the wall, sealing it up behind the metal cover plate.

The first cellblock proved empty, each cell door having a thick glass window cut within the frame, made for an easy view inside. The second and third blocks held a strange assortment of inmates, some acting out rather violently at being bothered others pleading for release seeing that Rodney wasn't a guard.

McKay was about to sneak out of the fifth cell block he had searched, still uneventful when he saw shadows trailing on the wall just ahead of him. Quickly he slipped back inside the cell corridor, pressing himself up against the back of the door. The footfalls of heavy boots came closer right up to the very door he was standing by. Rodney ducked down under the cutout, hearing an A'vok guard right behind him, looking into the hold. Seeing nothing but quiet cells, the guard hollered to his men to continue on.

Feeling his knees nearly about to buckle from shock, Rodney peeked outside. "Great. Just great." He hissed, squatting behind the door. "They must have noticed the power outages."

_"We can still get out of here." _The Major whispered, though he really didn't need to. "_There's__ only two more cell sections in this hall one of them has to hold some sign of Gertz. He has to be hiding out somewhere in this sector." _

"Or he's dead." Grumbled McKay. "Just like we're going to be. How do you expect me to get the other doors open with guards in the hall!"

He had a point; John had to agree to that. And with the carnage they left with each hold door, the A'vok wouldn't think it was some short-circuit in the wiring. It was obvious that someone had opened the doors, it was obvious that someone had sabotaged the locks. Even though he had Rodney replace the lock panels back in place to be less suspicious. They couldn't exactly slide the doors back close. It would take too long and would have sapped their strength long before the even got to the third hall. What Sheppard hadn't calculated was how long it would take the guards to come down there.

Sheppard decided then that the only way was to continue as is. They'd just have to be extremely secretive about it. He explained this to McKay, who wouldn't hear it at first but reluctantly agreed. The physicist held his breath, turning over and looking out the space in the door, he heard nothing beyond the thundering of his heart and believed it was now or never. Letting the air out nice and slow from his nose, McKay clenched his teeth and slipped out, sliding along the hall in the opposite direction to the guards, moving as quietly as he could.

He reached the sixth cell hall and went for the sensor panel; making short work of it. Sheppard would have commented that the physicist was becoming a pro at this, but now was not the time. He needed all his concentration on listening. The slightest sound could mean their downfall.

Together they heaved the door open, though in their rush it wasn't as much as the others and Rodney had a hard time squeezing through. Once inside the physicist crept along looking from one cell to the other. The first two were empty, the third had man sleeping soundly within, the forth a rather short impish looking creature watched Rodney under rigid brows. He hurried past this cell and came up to the fifth.

Which was empty.

McKay slapped a quiet hand to this thigh and was about to turn back when he noticed just above him the door's lock was different. On closer examination he found around the edge of the round hole were burn marks, as if from within the wires had shorted.

_"I think I heard something." _Sheppard said suddenly as Rodney ran a finger over the blacken marks. "I think this might be it!" He whispered excitedly.

_"I mean it McKay. Go check the hall or at least get out of eyesight."_

Doing as ordered he reluctantly left the cell and walked, half crouched to the door, looking out beyond it. He waited there for a moment. "I don't hear anything." When out of the corner of his eye he saw something.

Down the hall where the round corridor ended was a sizably large air vent with a heavy cover. Inside McKay could have sworn he saw movement just behind it. Standing up, Rodney slipped out of the door, pausing for a moment to listen for guards. He came closer to the vent, just beside the continuation of the corridor where it turned to mesh flooring, curving in an open catwalk down to the next level.

Again there was movement, the sound of shuffling against the venting and unexpectedly, an emerging finger tip.

_"What the hell is that!" _Sheppard saw it also. That fingertip, slid further out to hook upwards, beckoning them to come closer.

"Looking for something?"

A streak of cold shot straight up the physicist's spine. He stood up then, turning slowly towards the voice behind him.

"Or should I say---" Sylis Dran continued quaintly with a raised finger, inches behind Rodney as the man faced him. "—someone?"

Just then from the mesh catwalk, came several armed guards. McKay whipped round to see them while the Commander held up a hand to halt his men.

Rodney turned back, kicking himself mentally. The A'vok simply smiled, admiring the physicist's handiwork on the door sensor. "You see. I thought it strange when a man as _intelligent_ as yourself, got himself caught so easily. Even further more when your people didn't come to claim you or even attempt to negotiate your release."

From behind, two A'vok guards swarmed up and took Rodney by the arms, restraining him. The Commander raised a brow, stepping in closer. "And now here I find you in this sector; tearing it apart. Tell me Doctor McKay. How stupid, do you think I am?" Dran asked, repeating Rodney's own words back into his face.

Swallowing, McKay stared the man down, seeing the visible joy behind his wire-rimmed glasses. "Monumentally so."

Dran's smile faded. He ran a hand down the collar of the physicist's jumpsuit before socking him in the jaw.  
Pitching forward, Rodney shook the punch off, tasting blood along his gum line to which he gathered and spat out, right near the A'vok's shoe. "That's nice---" He grunted, being yanked back up. "—five against one. Real inventive of you." McKay put on a brave face, but he couldn't ignore the painful throb of his mouth, his bottom lip torn.

"_Let me fight for you McKay." _John snarled, ready to break free and go to town until he no longer could.

Looking at the splattering of blood on his hand, Dran rubbed it away, speaking now to his men. "Get rid of him." His steely gaze then staring down his nose, at Rodney. "Make it look like he died in the food-hall riot."

"You'll never get away with this!" Rodney struggled as the guard to his left reared up a knee and connected with his stomach, knocking the wind right out of the physicist. McKay wheezed as he was thrown to the ground.

The Commander was about to walk away when he saw something peeking out of the coughing man's pocket. He bent down and pulled a folded slip of paper. "I already have." He whispered to Rodney then nodded to his men to continue. Passing through the curved corridor, Dran heard behind him the vicious beating taking place. The folded note, held lightly in his fingers. His grin had returned.

John realized they were now hunched on the floor, felt McKay trying to curl himself up under each kick, each punch firing bolts of pain this way and that. A strike to Rodney's ear made a deafening ringing, sending the world it seemed underwater. Every sound after that muffled and distant. Sheppard saw with each fist-fall that met Rodney's face, a flash of light. Like watching an air-raid in the night sky. He heard McKay's thoughts twitching into obscurity until there was only silence inside with him. John felt as if he was submerged in a black pool of water, sinking deeper with each blow, until he couldn't feel the pain; only numbness.

Somewhere he heard then, beneath the murk of the water; what sounded like hissing---like a broken gas main and perhaps something that resembled coughing, choking.  
Following that was stillness and suddenly; Sheppard felt himself sliding, dragging back.

"_Rodney--" _He called faintly to the blackness. "_Rodney you gotta wake up. We're moving---we're---"_ John felt sotired; he sank deeper until there was no longer the notion of sound, nor movement. Everything slipped away into cold, blackness.

TBC….

* * *


	12. Tribulation

**

* * *

Chapter 12: **_Tribulation_

* * *

It was all just a dream right? It had to be. Two men sharing one brain was something out of a science fiction show. And yet, as Sheppard managed to crack one blurry eye open, the painful realization of the moment had sunk in. This was no dream. This was real---and he could move. 

That one eye rolled round, focusing on his surroundings as John tried to make sense of it all. He remembered coming to the prison, remembered starting the brawl in the cafeteria, sneaking out and oh yeah---that beating. He remembered that, his whole body remembered that. But that wasn't him. No, it was McKay; that happened to Rodney and yet Sheppard felt like the savage mauling had been done directly to him. Every muscle ached, his face was throbbing and the other eye refused to open. Carefully, the Major raised a bruised and shaking hand to his face, feeling his right eye was swollen shut.

He shifted testing his legs, which hurt but worked fine and focused now on sitting up. With painstaking slowness, John pushed down on his palms and slid up the wall he found behind him, getting out of the curled position he had woken up in. As he did so, a sharp pain ripped through his side. Sheppard growled softly, stopping all movement as a hand went to his torso. Must have been a bruised rib or two, and hopefully that was all, Rodney didn't need to be running around with any broken ones.

There came a sudden realization then. It hadn't even really occurred to him at first because he was just waking up, things were so fuzzy and confusing. John's mind had only now graced the fact that he was moving things on his own volition. Quickly he looked to his hand, turning it back and forth from palm to face and didn't recognize it. Because it wasn't his own. Once again he touched his face, which wasn't his face----short nose, round chin, wide mouth. Yeah, he was still in McKay.

"Rodney?" Sheppard managed say, though his voice cracked something awful. He paused, testing it again with a puzzled look. "McKay?" It sounded louder, clearer; not echoing like it had all this time. "John Sheppard is a god amongst men." He coughed then, swallowing the bloody laced phlegm in his throat. Yep, that wasn't his voice---it was Rodney's. Sheppard sat there a moment, trying to make sense of it all when there was a sudden sound in front of him.

From an open doorway came an emaciated looking old man, carrying a unmarked metal can. He looked to be in his mid-sixties; chalky white hair sprouted from behind his large ears and curled round the back of his head, jutting this way and that; though the better part of his crown was completely bald. Under a wide, and wrinkled edged mouth grew a short puff of beard; bright sunken-in eyes concentrated ahead, seemingly unknowing John had spoke nor moved.

Sheppard looked briefly around the area he had found himself passed out in. The room itself was rather small, the walls covered with what looked like makeshift shelves held all sorts of odds and ends. Devices the Major thought not even Rodney could recognize, bottles and jars filled with clouded liquids, and rows and rows of wrapped cloth. Either the man was a pack rat, or some sort of mad genius. Maybe both.

Wherever they were, they were under ground; or at least very deep inside the prison for the walls were made of the same metal material as the rest of Othalin. The air on the other hand, smelled fresher yet still wet; and remarkably salty.

The elderly man went about pouring whatever was in the can, out of it and into a steaming cylinder atop small machine with a hot glowing ring. John took this as a burner, but nothing like he'd ever seen before. The craftsmanship was rather shoty; wires peeking out here and there out of the mismatched metal patches. But whatever was inside that bubbling container smelled pretty damn good. Perhaps it was John's hunger, but McKay's stomach growled lowly.

Pulling himself up higher onto the wall, feeling McKay's body settle all around him like it was his own; Sheppard decided it was high time to make himself known and get some answers. And besides that fact, within his head---technically Rodney's head; all was deathly quiet. It was obvious to the Major that something had happened when they were both unconscious; And some how he had gained complete control of the 'ship' as it would seem. But where was McKay? Either the physicist was still unconscious from the trauma or----and Sheppard pushed this from his thoughts almost immediately—Rodney was gone completely. No, John thought, he's in there. He could feel McKay in there, somewhere. Perhaps still submerged in that blackness John had been what seemed only moments before? He hoped so. Granted John had spent the last few weeks locked up in the physicist's mind, without a moment of peace. This quiet was lonely and it didn't feel right.

First Sheppard cleared his throat; which gained him absolutely nothing. The old man, draped in shabby, baggy linens that made him look even thinner, gave the Major no notice whatsoever and went about his business.

"Excuse me." It sounded so _weird_ hearing McKay's voice slapped over his words; but for the time being, John would just have to get use to it. The elderly man jerked then, nearly dropping the empty can in his hand to the ground as he spun about.

He narrowed his bright eyes, shadowed only slightly by thick, bushy brows for a moment before a wide smile crossed his face; stretching out his wrinkles and strangely enough making the old man look ten years younger.

Clapping his gnarled hands together, the man exclaimed happily. "Well I'll be---he lives." He placed the can on a nearby table, one that held the cooking burner and shuffled towards John. Amazingly enough the old man bent down, squatting on his haunches.

"Barely." Sheppard said with a short laugh, which turned into an all out hacking cough, making the Major double over under its force. The elderly man patted John on the back, clucking his tongue in concern.

"Now, now young man. Just relax. Nice deep breaths---there you go." He replied gently, taking Sheppard by the shoulders and pushing him back to lean against the wall. "Don't worry, you're about as safe as you can be. I don't think those guards will be worrying about you for the time being."

Easing back, John's mind suddenly flooded to just before he passed out. He remembered hearing that hissing sound, felt Rodney's body being hauled away. He thought it might have been by the guards. "You really did save my skin back there. Thanks." Sheppard swallowed back on a parched throat with a wince.

"Eh, was nothing." The old man waved a hand, standing up as he gathered a stout cup and a small metal canteen. He poured to the cup's brim and handed it to John who took one look at the remarkably clear water and downed it. Aside from a slight saltiness, it was a lot better the then the sludge back at the prison mess hall McKay had made them drink.  
The old man sat down with the canteen and reached over, pouring Sheppard another cup-full while he continued. "Just another excuse to use my little toys I suppose." He chuckled, placing the canteen on the chilled floor and pulled a device from his pocket and handed it to John.  
"Oh---careful now. One good squeeze will set that off in your hand."

Sheppard held the device in his hand, well---in McKay's hand; and looked it over with his good eye. It appeared to be some sort of grenade like contraption. A small glass chamber at the bottom was filled with smoky white liquid while the top chamber was filled with grey powder. A thick pin separating the two chambers sat right in the middle and could easily be shifted under John's thumb, so he pushed no more. The weight was impressive, light and easy to palm and throw.

"I call it Neural Flash Gas. When the chemical on the bottom mixes with the shifted powder at the top it causes some nasty fumes. Throw it, and the impact of the two derivatives reacts with a bright flash. Those guards will wake up with a headache they won't soon forget. That's if Dran doesn't execute them first."

Pausing in his inspection, John handed the tiny bomb back, quirking a brow. "He really knows how to stress worker motivation, doesn't he?" He rolled up then leaning off the wall to sit up straight. Sheppard needed to get his bearing and back on is feet. More importantly, he needed to get Rodney up and running as well. "So you made that?" He asked, pointing to the stun device.

The old man nodded, running a loving thumb over the bottom glass chamber. "That I did. Made everything you see here. You're lucky I was on my way to the storage bays." The old man rose back to his feet, heading to the table he was working at earlier. "You look different then the usual drabble that comes through here. That's why I picked you up. Help yourself." He pointed to the canteen still sitting on the ground near the Major.

"Where are we, exactly?" John didn't hesitate to finish the cup of water in his hand and pouring himself another soon after.

"Why, deep in the bowels of Othalin. This system of vents runs all over. Brings fresh air into the citadel from the water outside that pumps through the draining pipes. That water you're drinking there comes from outside like the rest of it piped in here. Save I filter it. The muck topside looks like it was used to wash the floors." He remarked distastefully to the ceiling. The old man went about scooping a makeshift ladle into the steaming pot, dumping its contents into the concave curve of some scrap of metal. This he handed to John.  
"Sorry, have to use your hands."

It looked like some sort of stew, and seemed much more appetizing then the slop they'd been served earlier that day. And to Sheppard's delight, smelled like heaven. Taking his time, due to the stew's heat, John went to work at it.

The old man smiled, seeing his cooking was apparently appreciated. "Dinner bell will be going off soon. Thought you could use that."

"You have no idea." John grinned, mouth half full.

Sitting down with the rest of the steaming cylinder, the old man joined him, remarking thoughtfully. "You'd be amazed at the things one can find in the upper kitchens pantries. You see the higher cuffs get the best cooking, while the prisoners are force-fed what's left. I simply sample what I can find, make my own." He smiled cleverly.

Swallowing, John heldout a cleanhand. "Well let me be the first to commend your cooking. I'm Major John Sheppard."

"Major?" The old man rose a bushy brow, taking John's hand and shaking it gently round the bruises. "Why that's a high cuff position. You in for treason?"

John paused his eating, replying slowly. "Reconnaissance." He wiped a thumb along his bottom lip, sucking the stew of it. "I'm here looking for a man named Gertz."

The old man coughed on his food then, inhaling deeply as his eyes flashed. "You don't say. Well looks like you really are a lucky one." He placed a hand to his chest, bowing shortly. "Estafeld Gertz---at your serves."

Sheppard nearly dropped his bowl, mouth hanging slightly open. "You're Gertz?" The old man nodded smiling pleasantly at the Major's shock. "You don't look like the description the Yu'set gave us."

"Othalin will do that to a man." Gertz replied sadly, perking up a moment after, placing his bowl on the ground and talking with excitement. "The Yu'set you say? I knew it! I must say you don't look like one of them, certainly don't talk like one."

"Well, I'm not." John replied. "I'm from a city called Atlantis in a system or so away from here. So you're really the guy who created the Aradis?" This was blowing Sheppard's mind. Just when he thought things were only going to get worse.

"Aradis?" The old man replied, puzzled by the word. He cupped a hand round his fuzzed chin, scratching it. "Why, I haven't heard that name in ages. Say---" Gertz crept up closer looking rather worried. "—you haven't seen it have you?"

"Seen it?" Sheppard laughed and begun to run a hand on the back of McKay's neck; stopping with a jerk when he realized what he was doing. He quickly yanked the hand away and regretted the sudden movement, reminded by the aching pain that he should really be taking it easy. But there wasn't any time for resting, he was already using up so much now. Things needed to be done, but this new development needed to be done first. "I've used it. On accident of course." John added. "Was kinda a fluke occurrence really."

The old man glanced off a moment, nodding to himself. "Yes, I agree--" He turned his gaze back to the Major a moment later, a wavering hand outstretched towards John as Gertz sat down across from him. "Why I thought the A'vok had recovered them all. Where---where did you find it?" He asked excitedly.

"P2M----ah, I don't think I ever overheard Dran calling it anything. But it was covered head to toe in jungle. Old abandon temple looking place. This ringing any bells?"

"My, my." Muttered the old man; sitting back with a hand to his lips and looking rather paled. " And you say you activated the Aradis? There was a transferal?"

"Yeah, just a bit." Sheppard sighed, tensing as he tried to stand up, testing the stability of his, rather, McKay's legs. John started to wobble backwards and Gertz lent him a guiding hand, easing him to his feet. The Major grimaced with every movement, bracing a hand behind him on the cold metal wall to keep steady. After a moment he continued. "Which is why, we've come to bust you out."

The old A'vok made sure John was standing sturdy before backing away to give the man room. "We?"

"Well, Rodney McKay---which is whose face you're looking at. Myself, and Carson Beckett our head of medical." John was beginning to feel a bit lightheaded. Without warning, he fell back against the wall, raising a hand to his forehead.  
It felt like someone was taking a jackhammer to his brain. Maybe it had something to do with the switch. What he really needed to do was get the hell out of this vent and find Carson. He wondered then how the man was doing on the search for the Yu'set elder.

"You're in no shape to be busting anyone, out of anywhere son. Now, back down with you." Gertz said with a laugh, finding it touching that complete strangers had come all the way, from other planetary systems apparently, to find him. Sheppard resigned and let himself be guided back down to the ground.  
"I suppose you're looking for a reversal." The A'vok crossed his arms, looking the battered man over.

John glanced up with both eyes now, though one was still blurry and only partially opened from the swelling. "If you don't mind." He gave a wry smile.

Gertz let out a hearty laugh and crossed the room, pulling something off a nearby shelf. He held it up to the Major. "Recognize this?"

Sheppard stared at the device clutched between the old man's hands for a moment, trying to place where he'd seen it before. The symbols carved along its metal borders finally clicked, the deep indents where he could place his hands brought John back to that fateful day. "I kinda hoped I'd never see that thing again Gertz."

"Ah ha! But this one, is different." Gertz exclaimed lowering the device carefully to the ground. He ran two fingers along the treasure-chest shaped box, over several symbols on the metal bordering. The box began to glow with a warm green light, humming gently. Several lights blinked on within each fingertip hole. "This dear boy, is your salvation."

Now it was John's turn to be amazed. "You mean you canfix usright now?"

Gertz nodded, interjecting. "With a bit of extra power, I'll have you back in your own body in not time at all." He raised a brow, muttering."Hopefully."

Sheppard's face fell then, resting a bruised arm atop a raised knee; he spoke downheartedly. "Only set back to that is my body's back at Atlantis. Thanks though."

The old man sighed, running his fingers over the symbols in the opposite order; shutting the device down. "That, would cause a problem." Gertz eyes shined brightly beneath his bushy brows, a smile crossing his lips. "Looks like you'll need my help once more Major Sheppard. I think it's high time I leave this place, don't you?"

John matched his smile. Quickly he reached into Rodney's pocket and pulled out the radio, placing it in his ear. Gertz watched intently, curious about the near invisible device. Switching it on, Sheppard listened over the static of the intercom. "Carson? Beckett you there?"  
Nothing but silence came back. "Doc? Do you read me? What's your status?"  
He was met by unbroken popping static. "Damn it." Sheppard hissed softly, glancing over to the elderly A'vok.

"A most amazing communication device." Gertz licked his lips, looking as enthralled as a child at the site of a bowl full of candy. "Might I see it?"

Shrugging, John pulled the radio from his ear and handed it to the old man. Gertz let the tiny device sit in his palm, then carefully picked it up between two gnarled fingers, letting out an audible gasp. "I've never seen such a thing. Zerreta commends your people's craftsmanship."

John, wasn't exactly sure he heard that right. "Pardon my bad ears, I did just have the tar kicked out of me. Did you say Zerreta?"

The A'vok nodded, pausing for a moment as his smile deepened. "She also says you're very brave for coming all this way for us." He gave John a wink. "Says you're handsome too."

No. No it couldn't be. Could it? Sheppard did a double take. "You're telling me, Zerreta's---inside your head. Like, I'm inside McKay's?"

Gertz simply nodded.

Clearing his throat, the old man stood. He handed a bewildered John back his intercom before gingerly picking up the device he'd built and placing it on his work bench. Through this he recalled their story. "When I was finally captured by the A'vok, some eight years ago; I was in the company of Mave Zerreta one of the greatest Yu'set minds in all their tribes. And I must say, was one of the most beautiful creatures to ever grace this old man's eyes." Gertz paused, chuckling to himself. "Hush now, I mean every word of it." He then went about gathering things together on the workbench into a large scrap cloth satchel. "We were brought here and dwelled in imprisonment for three long years. I would escape when I could and visit her only to watch this dark place sap the life from her with each passing day. All the while I'd come here, building, plotting our escape. I learned every inch of these airways."

"But that didn't help, did it?" John chimed in, seeing the elderly man's face droop.

Gertz looked to him then, with a mixture of both sadness and anger. "This was supposed to be my fate, not hers. Zerreta took ill, and in a last desperate attempt to save her life, I used a Aradis I had constructed from the odds and ends I smuggled from the prison."

"She's been with me ever since. In here." Gertz raised a feeble hand to his head, giving Sheppard a warm smile. "Best thing I ever did since leaving this city so many years ago."

"The Yu'set don't know." Sheppard said suddenly, more to himself then to the A'vok.

"I wouldn't suspect they would." Added Gertz helpfully.

John shook his head. "We were supposed to infiltrate this prison and rescue both you and the Mave. They think she's still trapped in here somewhere. Beckett's looking for her right now! I have to get a hold of him." Placing the com back in his ear, Sheppard was about to radio for the doctor again.

"Then we shall all leave this place." The old man nodded to himself. "Together." He shoved a few more things into his bag and slung the sac over his shoulder. Placing a few of his Flash bombs into his pockets, Gertz looked as if he was about to leave.

"Where you going?" John asked, not liking everything being so split up again. He finally had two pieces of the puzzle right in front of him. Now all he needed was to get to Carson and get the hell out of there. And now it seemed the old A'vok wanted to split.

"I need supplies. And you, my dear boy need rest. You'll do us no good running around with those wounds and you know it."

Sheppard let out a heavy breath. As much as he didn't want to admit it, Gertz had a point. He was in no shape to run a full on escape. Besides with the old man here, there was no way the A'vok could execute him. What John needed now was to get in contact with Carson and shift the plan into its final stages, whatever those were now. On top of that, he had to some how rouse the physicist up from wherever he was now. If he could in fact do that. The scenario kept changing right under John's nose. All he could do was give the old A'vok a reluctant nod.

"Excellent. Sit tight, I'll return soon." With that, Gertz slipped through a tunnel of air duct right behind him, disappearing in a flash of grey hair and tattered clothes; leaving Sheppard on his own. A few seconds later there was a blast of alarms. They sounded far away and muffled under what must have been yards and yards of metal. Dinner bell.

"Great." John muttered, pressing on his earpiece. "Carson you there, over." He waited a long moment, getting no response from the doctor. "Beckett if you're there. I know it sounds like McKay, but it's not. It's John. Whatever was supposed to happen, happened. I could use a little help here Doc."

Silence.

Sheppard dropped his hand, technically Rodney's hand on the man's lap, defeated.  
"I lost my physicist." He said quietly, looking round the room. Listening to the clunk and clang of the air-vent around him.

John stared out into the center of the room, concentrating. "Rodney. Rodney if you can hear me. I need you to wake on up buddy. I know you don't feel well, and I know it hurts but you gotta come on back." The stillness that followed chilled Sheppard even more then the quiet on the other end of the radio.

"Damn it McKay. You're the most stubborn son of a bitch I know. You hear me in there? I can't do this on my own." Sheppard cleared his throat. "And I don't want to either. So you just pull yourself together." John looked around, listening. His frowned deepened.  
"That's an order."

Perhaps it just wasn't time yet. He knew a thing or two about the effects of shock on a person. How a sudden trauma can turn the best man or woman into a hunk of jello. John had a sinking feeling he was losing the battle. Sitting in silence, Sheppard waited. Waited for any voice; Rodney's, Beckett's or otherwise. He wondered then just what the doctor was up to. Moreover, if he was all right.

* * *

Beckett was alright, in fact physically he was fine. Mentally, the man was a wreck. He paced back and forth in his cell, ignoring the constant stare of the prisoner in the cell across the way. Carson had other things on his mind. Like how in the world was he supposed to contact anyone without his radio. He paused then in his methodic pacing to reprimand himself. "You should have just stayed put Carson. You're a doctor, you're not fit for field missions. What was I thinkin'!" 

Beckett thought back then on just what happened in the cafeteria. After his brief and gargled conversation with McKay while he was still hiding under the table, Carson decided to make a break for it. The fight behind him had seemed to shift somewhere else, away from him was the more important fact. Beckett had changed his position, crawling on his hands and knees under his 'protective' shield until he was at the other end of the long table. He looked beyond through what seemed like a sea of legs to where he could barely make out the entrance to the cafeteria. His eyes darted from one table to another figuring that if he could stay underneath them, he might have a good chance of reaching the doors unseen and more importantly, un-trampled.

Holding his breath, Carson waited as a scramble passed by and the way was clear. He darted out from under the table and dove beneath the next one across the way. That was easier then he thought it would be. It seemed everyone's attentions were drawn up in their own matters with the guards battling for control of the inmates and the inmates battling each other, plus the guards. All and all a heaping mess which Beckett planed to avoid.

Another opening afforded him passage into the second to last row near the door. The doctor took his time, ducking down when anyone came too near a table he was under. The sound around him was nearly deafening, but growing steadily less as the A'vok guards started to gain a stretch of control. Beckett scrambled down the row he was in from table to table, heading towards the mesh-tunnel leading to the food servers who had cleared out long ago; hauling their muck with them. However, one large vat wasn't so lucky and was dumped all over the floor, creating an even bigger mess. Avoiding this, Carson had cleared nearly seven tables when he paused to catch his breath under another, planning to cross over to the final row and hopefully move down enough that he could get a clear shot of the door. It seemed the fight was more congested towards this end of the cafeteria and Beckett at the moment was guiding himself on shear memory of the room rather then what he could see.

He was about to slip to the next row when out of no where there was light and fresh air as the table was literally pulled up and tossed away from him. Carson glanced up to find a rather bestial looking inmate, the one that had taken the second swing in the whole riot. The bovine mixed man glared down at the doctor with its pitch eyes ringed in white, much like a crazed horse. Bloody and bruised, the creature was about to take his rage out on the next thing he had seen, that being the doctor when there was a blast from somewhere beyond them both. Sparks flew from the thing's back as it howled falling forward and right on top of Carson.

Beckett had a brief moment to realize that a guard had shot the creature in the back and now it was slowly crushing the air out of him under its dead weight. Several guards came over, hauling the monstrous thing off the doctor, leaving Carson gasping for air as he himself was yanked to his feet. One A'vok looked him over and saw the man as no obvious threat. He ordered for Beckett to be taken back to his cell. It was at that point, when he was finally returned to the quiet of his imprisonment that Carson realized his ears were not only ringing, but vacant of an intercom.

It must have fallen out when he was buried beneath the beast-like convict; tossed aside and more then likely crushed underfoot. Though he had escaped the riot with his life and body intact, Carson had lost his only means of communication with Rodney. And now being locked up, he had no way to search the sectors he was meant to.

Beckett dreaded spending even another day in this place, let alone another eating period. But what other choice did he have? He didn't even know the condition of McKay and whether he succeeded in finding Gertz. He shuttered to think on then---or whether or not he and John were still alive even. Was he alone? Was this it? Spending the rest of his days locked up in a cage, fending for his life.

Shaking the troubling path of thoughts from his head, Carson resigned himself to thinking that this was only a small set back. If he knew Sheppard well enough, things were fine. They had to be. And besides, what choice did they have in the matter? A few days more would have possibly spelled an end for John and Rodney anyway, so something had to be done. Even the most reckless of plans was something. But look at where it had ended them up.

Beckett began his pacing once more, his attention so caught up in his own worry that he hadn't noticed several men stalking up to his cell door, and nearly jumped from his skin when the door suddenly slid open.

The doctor froze in his tracks, looking to find only one familiar face in the group of five men. Norweg stood, unemotional behind two armed A'vok guards while in the very front of them all, leading them was an even graver looking man. His towering stature and thin rimmed glasses lead Carson to believe that the A'vok staring him down at the moment was none other then Sylis Dran. The Commander simply gave a wave of his hand and two soldiers slipped from the group and came at Beckett. They detained him, one on each arm as the doctor struggled.

Dran walked up slowly, Malic filing in close behind him. Carson did his best not to look at the young A'vok and give him away. He didn't have to worry about this for long as Dran's savage words barked out.  
"What were you and your friend Doctor McKay doing on that planet?"

Beckett blinked, unsure what exactly to say. He felt the grip on his left arm tighten as one of the guards shouted in his ear to answer him.  
"Nothin' we----we weren't doin' anythin'."

Dran shot an irritated look to the guard on the left who increased the pressure on the doctor's arm, making Carson growl in pain.

"What, were you and the Doctor _doing _on that planet?" The Commander asked again, this time slowly and with a low threatening intensity. He stepped up then, closing the inches between them. "I have a knack for spotting liars. So don't think stoicism will get you far." Dran's whole expression lightened, taking on a pleasant, cooing tone. "Just, tell me the truth Doctor Beckett. And I'll let you see your friend. It's as simple as that." He smiled, though it was too sugar coated to be real.

Carson relaxed and cleared his throat, staring the A'vok down with a calm seriousness. "Did I stutter?" His jaw tightened. "We weren't doin' anythin'. You took the transferal device and destroyed the temple, what else did you expect us to do?" Beckett watched as Dran's face shifted from lighthearted to down right rigid.  
"Is that, _truthful_ enough for ya?"

With that, the A'vok's face fell and he laughed shortly. "It seems all your people have the same, pathetic resistance. Pity it didn't save McKay."

"What?" Beckett exclaimed, his strong façade crumbling away.

Dran rose a brow, smirking. "We found him in the food hall. Well, what was left of him. Tragic really but---" He gave a light gesture. "—that's prison life I suppose."

Carson's mind flashed catching his words before he said anymore. "But he wasn---" He let out a shallow breath. "I lost sight of him after the riot broke out." The doctor had received the radio transmission from McKay that he was safe in the corridors outside the cafeteria. How was he supposedly found inside it? Did something happen afterwards to the physicist? It didn't make a bit of sense to Carson. He thought then that The A'vok could have been lying to get him to break and answer his questions.  
"No. You're the one who's lyin'." Carson said with a final resolve.

"What use would I have in lying Doctor Beckett?" Dran replied bluntly. "I have the means of making you talk without it. Besides, I find the truth more often then not----bites harder." He grinned, teeth shining beneath the flickering electric lights. "I think." The A'vok waved a finger to the air, speaking thoughtfully. "A night or two in the pond will, refresh your memory."

Beckett caught a flinch in Malic's face as the young man gave a flustered glance to the back of Dran's head. He sobered a moment later when the A'vok spoke to him.  
"What do you think of that Norweg?"

Malic cleared his throat, feigning his pleasure. "I think that's more then suitable sir."

The Commander waved a hand and Beckett found himself being dragged out of his cell and into the hall; Dran following behind the group of guards with Norweg coming up beside him, trying his best to mask his concern.

They seemed to be traveling lower into the inner depths of the prison, continuing on the spiral for sometime. Passing the main entrance level, Carson was lead ever downward and through a corridor where the only light given was from the small circular lights stationed along the wall, blanketing them all in a sickly color.

As he was pulled along the wide and straight hall, Beckett could hear somewhere beyond them cries and wails. The most sorrowful thing he could ever imagine hearing. Like the bellowing from the pits of hell itself. They rounded a corner and came to an offshoot of open doors. Carson could barely see inside as he was lead passed several of them. He craned his neck to see the rooms were practically empty save for several small, round, and over turned bowl-shaped doors on the floor. What was all this? The doctor only had a moment to think as he found himself in one of the rooms now, the cries seem to come from out of the floor as a horrible realization crept over him.

Within the room, dimly lit, sat six round doors latched to the floor. They came up around seventeen inches off the ground, thick rusted bars curved and shaped in a diameter that looked twenty-four inches, barely enough room to fit an average sized man. With the way each was separated, it reminded the doctor of the pockets of an egg carton. An A'vok guard came by with a metal hook and hauled the half-circle hatch open, the hinges groaning under the stress. Beckett was pulled forward till the tips of his shoes were inches away from the hole in the floor. He couldn't help but look below, seeing the thin tube sinking near eight feet down onto grating.

"Wait! Wait NO!" He yelled as the guards pushed onward, holding on to him as the doctor's feet met the open air and he began to drop. Carson struggled but was slowly shoved down into the hole, chafing along its metal insides until a sudden slickness on the metal made him slide freely. His drop was short-lived as he hit bottom. Beckett had little room to breath, or even move his arms which had found themselves positioned in front of him; bent up, hands resting just under his chin. He might have had, not even three inches of extra space between his body and the tube. Beckett looked up to the near three foot stretch above him, seeing the hatch slammed down.

He managed to shift his arms round and place both hands on the metal incasing. "You can't do this!" He cried out, his voice echoing dully around him.

Above, Beckett suddenly saw Dran's face staring down at him, smiling coyly.  
"Pleasant evening; Doctor Beckett." Was all he said as the Commander slipped out of sight. Carson braced himself, trying to push with both feet upwards but found the sides of the metal tube slick and slimy. He couldn't get a proper footing. Suddenly from below Carson heard a loud ping and a rushing sound. Unable to see below him because of his own body, Beckett felt a sudden movement down by his feet. It felt like liquid swirling around him.

Before he knew it, water rose up from the grating and passed his knees. Beckett panicked, shouting for them to let him out as the water continued to rise, coming up beyond his elbows and settling right around his shoulders. He waited in shear fear, arching his head up as the water level rose no more and there was a muffled sliding below him; more then likely a cover plate to keep the water in.  
The water, murky and lightly fetid smelling was only slightly warm. The tight squeeze of the tube left no chance of the doctor floating upwards. In fact, if at any point Beckett slunk down, the water would probably rise up near his face. He shuttered, breath bouncing off the cylinder around him. Beyond him, Carson could still hear the howls of what must have been other prisoners meeting the same fate.

He clenched at his teeth, feeling a distinct sense of claustrophobia slip over him. Without movement he could only stand there and soak, gazing up to the grated door where the fresh air was too high to reach him. "Oh god." Carson whimpered, as a shiver ran up his spine. Did he feel movement below, was---was that something swimming in there with him? Beckett shut his eyes, unable to look at the rusted, slimy walls just inches in front of his face. Carson began a silent mantra in his head that this wasn't happening; trying to drown out the crying and begging he heard far off. Even if John and Rodney were still alive, they had no idea he was in there. Alone.

* * *

TBC. 


End file.
